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THE STORY OF 
A STRANGE CAREER 



THE STORY OF 
A STRANGE CAREER 

BEING 

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A CONVICT 

AN AUTHENTIC DOCUMENT 



EDITED BY 

STANLEY WATERLOO 




NEW YORK 
D. APPLETON AND COMPANY 

1902 






THP LIBRARY OF 
OONf5RESS, 

rK»o Cowtb Rtcsiveo 

AUG. SO 1902 

CO*VWI0HT ENTRY 

CLARSVa XXo. No 
COPY S. 



By D. 



Copyright, 1902 
APPLETON AND COMPANY 



PdHisU^ A'limt^id^' 



INTRODUCTION 



The story that follows this introduction is 
literally true. There died lately, in a Western 
State prison, a man of the class known as ha- 
bitual criminals. He was, at the time of his 
death, serving out a sentence for burglary. For 
thirty years he had been under the weight of 
prison discipline, save for short periods of free- 
dom between the end of one term and the be- 
ginning of another. 

Because of this man's exceptional qualities, 
as contrasted with those of the multitude of 
criminals, he was induced, semi-officially, in a 
friendly way, to write the story of his life. He 
accepted the proposition made to him, though, 
consistent with his quality, not quite fulfilling 
his pledge, omitting, as he did, certain hard 
details of the later part of his criminal career. 
This was but natural, and, perhaps, it is the 



The Story of a Strange Career 

which the story is told is characteristic, and 
should open the eyes of sentimentalists as to 
the real attitude of habitual criminals. Never, 
from first to last, is there an expression of gen- 
uine shame or the least contrition. There are, 
it is true, occasional sentences in which the man 
calls himself a fool, and betrays a glimmering 
of appreciation of the general want of sense 
and wisdom in his course, but there is no ring 
of sincere repentance nor of sorrow over a 
wasted life. This extraordinary character is 
simply of the opinion that he has not been 
clever enough. He never suspects that he has 
not been good enough to live a normal life 
among normal people. The truth is, he had 
no clear ideas of right and wrong. 

Released from prison, and glad to be free, 
he always declared that now he was deter- 
mined to "keep out of trouble." With him 
"trouble" meant "prison," and nothing else. 
Inevitably, surely, certainly, he was drawn into 
ways of crime. As water seeks its level, so he 
gravitated towards " trouble." To plan and ex- 
ecute an enterprise of robbery was the form 

viii 



Introduction 

of activity most natural to him. He was hin- 
dered by no scruples, schooled by no experience, 
tormented by no necessity. When arrested, 
and not before, he considered that he was " in 
trouble." He fretted over his punishment, but 
not over his offence. 

And yet this was a human being, one not 
vrithout good traits. He was not, physically, 
a coward ; on the contrary, he was simply and 
naturally fearless. He was kind of heart, gen- 
tle to children, and tender to animals. Under 
discipline, he was patient and obedient, a model 
prisoner, the wardens say. What he could not 
do was to stand alone and be a man in the 
world. 

Looking outward, this man was a shrewd 
and appreciative observer. His descriptions of 
natural scenes are vivid. There are few better 
stories of the life of a prisoner of war than his, 
and his characterizations of men and events are 
singularly apt. His eyes looked on the seamy 
side of life, and saw with clearness when fixed 
on any one or anything but himself. The con- 
ditions under which common sailors live have 

ix 



The Story of a Strange Career 

rarely been more vividly described. One can 
only wonder, while reading liis plain story, 
told without heat or passion, how any man 
could follow such a life as he describes. 

The work is without precedent in character. 
It is fascinating as a life story and as a study 
of human nature. It is a contribution to un- 
conscious literature. 

Stanley Waterloo. 



CONTENTS 



PAGE 
CHAPTER - 

I.— My first voyage 

II._Whaling in the South Pacific .... 16 

III.— A SAILOR ASHORE ^^ 

IV. 1 TAKE TO THE SEA AGAIN 46 

v.— On THE BRIG Grenfalls 5*^ 

VI.— The "Flying Dutchman" . . . • .68 

VII.— In Her Majesty's service 85 

VIII.— The cat-o'-nine-tails ^^'■ 

IX.— The escape ^^^ 

X. — The sport of the waves . , . . • 1~6 

XI.— A GLIMPSE OF the MEDITERRANEAN . . .142 

XII.— In American waters 1^^ 

XIII.— My third voyage ^^^ 

XIV.— Pretty Jennie Bell 1^^ 

XV.— Good-bye to England 1^^ 

XVI.— What money can do ^^'^ 

XVII.— The New York draft riots 215 

XVIII.— Acting ensign in the United States Navy , 226 

XIX.— After blockade-runners 239 

XX.— A PRISONER OF WAR 252 

XXI.— In the PRISON 264 

XXII.— Prison life and prison fare . . . .274 
XXIII.— Disappointment and more waiting . . .288 

xi 



The Story of a Strange Career 

CHAPTER PAGK 

XXIV.— A Cracker beauty 297 

XXV.— LiBBY Prison * . 811 

XXVI. — A FREE MAN AGAIN 323 

XXVII.— Fort Fisher 336 

XXVIII.— The Island of Haiti 348 

XXIX.— I LEAVE THE SEA AND GO WeST .... 357 



Xll 



THE STORY 
OF A STRANGE CAREER 



CHAPTEE I 

MY FIEST VOYAGE 

On my mother's side I am of an old New 
York family. My great-grandfatlier served as 
colonel in the war of 1812. My father was 
born in Dublin, being a younger son of an Irish 
gentleman. He was educated to be a druggist, 
his father paying a large bonus to have him 
apprenticed to a celebrated firm in that busi- 
ness. His elder brother was ordained as a 
clergyman in the Church of England, and is 
now a high dignitary in the Church, if living. 
At the age of twenty, my father came to New 
York and started in business. My mother, 
then about fourteen or fifteen years old, became 
acquainted with him, and they were shortly 
afterward married, the match being a runaway 

1 



The Story of a Strange Career 

one. I was born when mother was but sixteen 
years old. My parents lived comfortably ; they 
sent me to boarding-schools at North Cornwall, 
Conn., Ballston Spa, N. Y., and the Military 
School at Danbury, Conn., and finally to one 
of the New York colleges. At that time I was 
very desirous to be a sailor, and have been sorry 
for it ever since. My parents objected, but 
afterwards consented. My father had many cus- 
tomers among the ship-owners and sea captains. 
At that time New York ship-owners had sev- 
eral vessels in the China trade, and sought to 
get well- taught American boys to educate them 
in seamanship and navigation, the idea being 
to make them officers of their ships as soon as 
they became competent. Seven boys were 
selected, I being one of them. 

Father furnished me with a complete outfit 
for sea, and a set of navigation instruments and 
books. One thing I thought lacking — that 
was a pipe and tobacco. The sea-chest was 
sent to father's store. My younger brother, 
Charlie, was anxious to know what sailors wore 
at sea, so he examined the contents of the chest, 

2 



My First Voyage 

and found a paper of cheap tobacco and a two- 
cent pipe. 

Charles — " Oh, father, George smokes ! " 

Father — "Why, George, do you use to- 
bacco ? " 

George — "No, father, I never have done so 
yet ; but I always hear that sailors smoke at 
sea." 

Father — "Well, George, throw that stuff 
away and come with me." 

He then took me to a cigar - store, and 
bought me twelve half-pound papers of fine 
Turkish tobacco, some pipes, and a box con- 
taining one hundred fine cigars. What was 
the result ? I never used a pipeful of that to- 
bacco, nor a cigar, and not until years after- 
ward, when I was forty-eight years old and in 
Joliet Prison, did I acquire the tobacco habit, 
first by chewing it and then by smoking pipes 
made out of tool handles on holidays — our 
only opportunity in that " hell-hole." 

My father's friends had a full-rigged ship 
ready for sea at that time ; there were the cap- 
tain, first, second, and third mates, and a crew 
« 3 



The Story of a Strange Career 

of about sixteen men of all nationalities. We 
seven boys were shipped on board as appren- 
tices, at the rate of four dollars a month. The 
voyage was to be to Batavia, Island of Java, 
for a part cargo of coffee ; from there to Shang- 
hai, China, for the balance of the cargo, the 
new crop of tea, which would be ready for us 
by the time of our arrival. 

The ship — we'll call her the Prospero — was 
to go out in ballast, as they had no cargo to 
send out. Three passengers were to go with 
us — a man, his sister, and her child. The sister 
was the wife of a pilot and opium smuggler in 
the Chinese waters. Ten kegs, containing ^ye 
thousand Mexican dollars each, were also sent 
on board to be delivered to the branch firm in 
China. The fifty thousand dollars were placed 
in the male passengers' state-room, under his 
berth. 

The ship was moved out from the dock, 
and anchored in the East Kiver. Next morn- 
ing, early, a large tugboat came alongside the 
ship. On board the tugboat was a large party, 
invited by the firm to have a pleasure trip 

4 



My First Voyage 

while towing the ship out to sea. My father 
and mother were with the party, many of their 
friends, the captain's wife, and our passengers' 
friends among the number. It was a merry 
party. We weighed anchor. They gave us 
three cheers, and, wishing us a happy voyage, 
turned back for New York. We had com- 
menced our voyage to the Indian Ocean. 

No one had any idea how abruptly that 
voyage was to end, nor of the misery that 
was to follow. In less than two months this 
despatch was sent all over the country : 

" Charleston, S. C, August^ 1856. 

" The ship Prospero has arrived here, its 
captain having been murdered at sea. The 
first mate and two boys are under arrest by the 
United States officers, accused of having com- 
mitted the murder." * 

Now comes the story of the mysterious 
murder. It has never been solved to this day, 

* Our passengers took passage from Charleston in another ship 
for China. They never reached their destination. The vessel 
caught fire at sea and all aboard perished. Not a soul was ever 
heard from. 



The Story of a Strange Career 

althougli many years have passed since it oc- 
curred. 

Tlie ship had been headed to the south-east, 
so as to get into the trade-winds near the coast 
of Africa. When near the Cape Verde Is- 
lands the captain was found dead in his bed, 
having been killed by being struck in the head 
with a ship's axe, having his throat cut, and 
being stabbed in the heart several times with a 
double-edged knife. The cabin steward went 
into the captain's state-room at eight o'clock to 
wake him for breakfast, and at once notified 
the first mate of the murder. The mate first 
went to the state-room, and then came on deck 
and ordered all the crew into the state-room. 
This is what we saw : the captain dead in bed, 
the only clothing on him being an undershirt, 
while the blood had stained all the bedding, 
had spurted up on the partitions around the 
berth for three or four feet, and also on the 
floor. Beside the body lay a small axe and a 
white handkerchief stained with blood, marked 
in one corner with the letter " L " embroidered 
in red silk, which letter had been partly picked 

6 



My First Voyage 

out with a pen or knife, but was still discern- 
ible. The mate then informed us that he was 
acting captain of the ship. In our presence he 
wound up the two chronometers, which are 
always kept in the captain's room, for on them 
are dependent the daily calculations of the cor- 
rect longitude. 

We were finally ordered upon deck. The 
crew conversed together, and agreed among 
themselves that the ship should return to New 
York. The mate insisted upon continuing the 
voyage, and also asked the crew if they would 
allow him to place any one under arrest whom 
he believed to be the murderer. They assent- 
ed, and he ordered Henry Leroy to be put in 
irons. 

The boy Leroy's hands were put behind 
his back, and he was handcuffed, then rusty 
iron chains were fastened to them and around 
his ankles. He was placed in the second mate's 
cabin on deck and the door was locked. 

He was kept there until we reached 
Charleston. The weather was extremely warm. 
When taken out, he was completely covered 

7 



The Story of a Strange Career 

with iron rust, which had stuck to his body 
with the perspiration, and he was not allowed 
to wash himself. 

Shortly after Leroy was put in irons, he 
called for the second mate, and had a long 
conversation with him. The result was that 
I was handcuffed, hands behind my back, was 
taken on the quarter-deck, made to sit down 
with my back to a stanchion, and lashed to 
it by the passing of a rope several times 
around my body and once around my neck. 
I remained in that position for forty-eight 
hours, and was then put into the first mate's 
cabin with my hands fastened behind my 
back. 

The mate still insisted on continuing the 
voyage, the crew upon returning. Then he 
proposed going back to Fayal, Western Islands, 
and leaving Leroy and me there, to be sent to 
New York by the American Consul, for trial. 
The crew would not agree to that. Nothing 
would satisfy them but to return home. So 
the ship was put about and headed for New 
York. We never got there, but fetched up at 

8 



My First Voyage 

Bulls Bay, about forty miles north of Charles- 
ton, S. C. 

The ship was anchored close to shore and 
the sails furled. Shortly afterward a steamer 
was sighted coming down the coast. Signals 
of distress were hoisted, and the steamer head- 
ed for us. The mate had one of our boats 
lowered, and, with a boat's crew of four men, 
went aboard the steamer. He wished to go to 
Charleston himself for a tugboat, also to tele- 
graph to New York, but the men wdth him 
would not let him go, so he sent an order to 
Charleston for a tug, and a letter to the cap- 
tain of the revenue cutter, explaining the 
situation. 

The knife was never found ; no blood stains 
could be found on any clothing or person 
aboard the ship. The axe had always hung in 
brackets over the captain's bed, that being the 
only trace that was left. The man who did 
the deed must have been covered with blood. 
No noise had been heard, although a number of 
persons were sleeping close by, and one half of 
the crew were awake and on duty continually. 

9 



The Story of a Strange Career 

The corpse was placed in a water-cask, which 
was filled with brine and salt from the beef 
barrels. After the inquest, it was shipped to 
New York for burial. Next will be related 
the evidence against Leroy and myself. 

Henry Leroy was bom in Poughkeepsie, 
N. Y., his parents being quite wealthy. The 
elder brother was lieutenant commander in the 
U. S. Navy during the War of the Kebellion. 
Henry was the "black sheep" of the family, 
and was sent to sea in order to tame him down. 
The captain was instructed to be severe with 
him. He was very flighty, had a wild look in 
his eyes, and was very quarrelsome. In less 
than three weeks he had had four fights with 
the boys, the last one with me. There being no 
cargo on board, the boys had quarters fixed up 
for them between decks. Henry was in one 
watch and I in the other. 

One night, at twelve o'clock, Henry came 
below and I was to go on watch. It was then 
we had the fight. There being only a thin 
partition between our place and the cabin, 
the noise woke the captain. The next morn- 

10 



My First Voyage 

iag tlie captain tied Henry to a dry-goods box 
and gave him a severe flogging with a rope's 
end. Henry afterward told some of the crew 
that he w^ould be revenged for that flogging; 
that was the evidence against him. 

Now for myself: All the boys would tell 
Henry all kinds of nonsense and he would 
believe it. I at one time proposed to him 
that we should kill everybody on board the 
ship ; that we two should sail the ship to the 
coast of Africa, take the fifty thousand dollars 
in silver (weighing over four thousand pounds) 
and go home with it. Much to my surprise, he 
was willing to do so. Two or three times after- 
wards I amused myself with that yarn. That 
story, with some additions of his own, was the 
evidence ag:ainst me. Some of his schoolmates 
afterwards stated under oath that it was impos- 
sible for him to tell the truth. A tugboat was 
sent to Charleston, and the ship was towed to 
that port. The United States Marshal came 
on board, and Henry and I were taken up to 
the city in the revenue cutter and put in the 
police station until the inquest was held. In a 

11 



The Story of a Strange Career 

couple of days after our arrival the inquest was 
held on board the ship. Leroy and I were 
present. The captain's body was laid on deck 
and we were made to stand near it and look at 
the terrible sight while some of the jurors felt 
of our pulses, to see if we were unusually ex- 
cited. Leroy testified that I had confessed to 
the murder at twelve o'clock the night it oc- 
curred, and that I had told him of it when the 
watches were changed. At my trial it was 
proved that I had not spoken to him from the 
evening before the murder until we were on the 
revenue cutter. 

The coroner's jury ordered that we three be 
held for trial. So the mate was handcuffed and 
the three of us were taken to the Charleston jail, 
where we remained for about six months. As 
soon as the news reached New York, my father 
and Leroy's brother got letters of introduction 
to the most prominent men in Charleston and 
started for that city. In the meantime we had 
our examination before the United States Court 
Commissioner and were held over to the Fed- 
eral grand Jury without bail. The ship's crew 

12 



My First Voyage 

were detained in jail as witnesses. It was a 
picnic for them, as they were each to receive 
one dollar and a half a day, comfortable quar- 
ters, the freedom of a large yard for exercise, 
and their food, with no work. On the ship it 
was hard labour with only twelve dollars a 
month for the voyage. 

When my father and Mr. Leroy arrived they 
were welcomed by some of the leading citizens, 
and in a short time made many friends. They 
at once retained the four best lawyers in the 
city. We three prisoners were kept separate, 
but, as Henry and myself boarded with the 
jailer's family, we were together at meal hours. 
I made many friends, while Henry seemed to 
be disliked by everybody. The mate was kept 
in a cell by himself all the time. A leading 
Freemason came from New York to Charleston 
and retained a competent law firm for his de- 
fence. The Freemasons were the only friends 
he had, and they stood by him well. 

No indictment was found against Leroy by 
the grand jury. He was released and put un- 
der bonds as a witness. 

13 



The Story of a Strange Career 

My trial came first. It lasted nearly a month 
and created mucli excitement North and South. 
Leroy's testimony was all there was against me. 
In the cross-examination he was badly rattled, 
and told so many lies that everybody got dis- 
gusted with him. He was proved to be a liar 
by some of his old schoolmates. The jury 
acquitted me without leaving their seats. 
They all shook hands with me, and I was con- 
gratulated by everybody. I was put under 
bonds as a witness. 

The first mate's trial then took place. Cir- 
cumstances looked bad for him. His cruelty to 
Leroy and myself made a bad impression on the 
jury. When I showed how I had been tied 
with ropes for two days, with my hands fas- 
tened behind my back for seventeen nights and 
days in the roasting hot weather, it actually 
made some of the jury grit their teeth. The 
jury retired, and were out quite a number of 
hours. Finally, they brought in a verdict of 
" Not guilty," but for a long time they stood 
ten for guilty and two for acquittal. After 
that, he never could get a mate's position on 

14 



My First Voyage 

any ship in the United States, so he went to 
Australia and, when last leard from, was cap- 
tain of an English ship. 

The Prospero, on one of her voyages, was 
dismasted by a typhoon in the China Sea, 
was towed into one of the treaty ports in China 
and used as a coal hulk. 

I went back to New York with father and 
mother, was gladly received by all my friends, 
and remained there until I took a notion in my 
thick head to go on a whaling voyage to the 
Pacific Ocean. 



15 



CHAPTER II 

WHALING IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC 

I WAS in the habit of walking around the 
docks of the East and North Rivers in New 
York and looking at the shipping. Fronting 
the river were a number of shipping offices for 
sailors, and some of them had a placard offering 
eighty dollars advance for men for the whaling 
service. So, one day, I went into one of the 
offices and stated my desires. I was very cor- 
dially received. That evening, with several 
others, I was sent to New Bedford, Mass. On 
our arrival there we were assigned to a sailors' 
boarding-house. In about two weeks after- 
ward I was shipped on board the Courier, for 
a three years' cruise in the South Pacific Ocean, 
for the capture of sperm whales. I was to get 
one barrel of oil for myself out of every one 
hundred and ninety that we should capture. 

16 



whaling in the South Pacific 

Sperm oil was worth about two dollars a 
gallon. No petroleum had been discovered at 
that time. 

I was furnished with a seaman's outfit, which, 
with my board bill and expenses^ amounted ex- 
actly to eighty dollars ; that was the advance. 
I signed an agreement that the captain should 
pay that amount out of the first money due me. 
Captain Coffin, four mates, and four boat-steerers 
were the officers of the ship, with twenty-eight 
men before the mast, a cooper, blacksmith, car- 
penter, cook, and steward — forty-two men on 
the vessel, and the captain's wife and little boy. 

The night before we sailed I wrote to my 
father and mother and let them know what I 
had done. I thought at the time that I knew 
more than they did. Well, the older- 1 grow, 
the more I realize what a fool I have been all 
my life, and never a greater one than I am now 
at the age of sixty-two. 

One morning early we weighed anchor, and 
were soon out of sight of land ; then the voy- 
age began in earnest. Much to my surprise, 
we had to take turns perched up aloft for two 

17 



The Story of a Strange Career 

hours at a time on the top-gallant cross-trees, 
looking out for whales. Why, I never thought 
there was a whale within five thousand miles 
of New Bedford at that time, but I was mis- 
taken. They are sometimes captured in sight 
of the harbour. The boat-steerers were kept 
busy fixing up their harpoons and lances, getting 
the boats ready, coiling the lines in the tubs 
etc. In the meantime the mates were watching 
the crew very closely to see which men were 
the most active. 

After we were at sea about ten days all 
hands were called aft to the mizzen-mast. Then 
the mates, each in turn, picked out one man 
for his own boat's crew. Being light and 
active, I was made stroke-oarsman of the first 
mate's boat, and a lively job it proved to be, 
too. Soon we got in the warm latitudes and 
calm days, and then the boats would be low- 
ered in order to give the crews exercise and 
practice in rowing. It was hard work, but we 
soon became expert oarsmen. 

One day we sighted the Cape Verde Is- 
lands, and sailed among them for a few days. 

18 



whaling in the South Pacific 

Boats were sent ashore ; rotten tobacco — outfit 
quality — was traded to tlie natives for fruit; 
tlien I got in my work, so far as the fruit 
went. The ship then steered for the Island of 
Martinbas-Trinidado, 21° south latitude, for the 
purpose of ascertaining whether our chronome- 
ters were still correct, by comparing our obser- 
vations with the longitude of the island, as that 
is known to a certainty. 

Trinity Rock, as it is called also, is unin- 
habited, quite barren, and only a few miles in 
circumference. That is the place where we had 
our first adventure. The first mate's boat was 
to take the crew, with the captain, his wife and 
child, also three old muskets and ammunition, 
and land them in a seaman-like manner on the 
island. The boat's party with the old army 
muskets were to kill a number of mythical 
goats on land. 

We pulled close to the shore, just outside 
of the heavy surf, trying to find a safe place to 
land. Finally we came to an opening in the 
reef. Inside, the water looked smooth and in- 
viting, and there was also a nice sandy beach. 
Q 19 



The Story of a Strange Career 

To the left of the reef was the wreck of a 
French ship, the bowsprit pointing straight up 
into the air. While looking at the wreck, we 
saw a large green turtle just ahead of the boat. 
Then visions of turtle soup with our goat's 
meat dawned upon us. It chanced, though, 
that in trying to capture that turtle we made 
a great mistake, for just at that time a very 
heavy surf came over the reef and capsized our 
boat. Things were badly mixed for a time. 
Boat, oars, men, and the captain's wife and 
child were going in every direction. Finally 
things quieted down a little, and we landed 
on the beach. We got the boat and what oars 
we could, and then took a rest on the burning 
hot sand. The weather being very warm, the 
boat's crew all wore leather slippers and no 
stockings. We had to run up and down on 
the sand with our bare feet, as the aforesaid 
slippers were lost when the boat went over. I 
picked hard little short thorns out of my feet 
for days afterward. They came from dried- 
up vines that grew in the sand. 

The beach was honeycombed with large 
20 



whaling in the South Pacific 

holes, and each hole contained a big yellow 
land-crab. Every step we took, snap would 
go a big pair of claws for our feet. We had 
also lost our straw hats, so we had the full 
benefit of the sun on our bare heads. A num- 
ber of wild land birds of a good, healthy size 
would swoop down upon us. It was anything 
but a pleasure at that time, and the muskets 
being lost also, the captain and mate changed 
their minds about the goat business. 

The cause of our disaster was made clear to 
us in a short time. The surf for about ten 
minutes would run low, and then would be fol- 
lowed by three tremendous rollers in succes- 
sion. It was the latter that wrecked us on a 
barren island. We soon got tired of life on 
shore. The question was how to get away. 

In the meantime, while we were on the goat 
expedition, the second mate's boat had left the 
ship on a fishing excursion. They anchored the 
boat near shore, outside the surf, and were 
hauling the fish in at a lively rate. We needed 
their assistance. As the mate still had his 
shoes on his feet, he went quite a distance 

21 



The Story of a Strange Career 

down tlie beach and made signals for the boat 
to follow him back. When they got opposite 
to us we explained the situation. By watching 
for a good chance, they pulled in quickly and 
threw us the end of a harpoon-line, and got 
outside of the reef. We fastened the line to 
the bow of our boat, and when a low surf 
came in launched it, were towed out by the 
other boat, and arrived on board the ship very 
much disgusted with the whole business. 

The old Courier's yards were braced around 
and we were off for Cape Horn, 56° south lati- 
tude. One day, it being quite calm, the look- 
outs at the mast-head noticed a lot of sea-gulls 
flying around in a circle, and under them some- 
thing floating in the water. We thought it 
might be a dead whale, so the mate's boat 
was lowered. We found it to be an old 
cask, which must have been in the water for 
years, as it was thickly covered with barna- 
cles. 

We towed the cask to the ship and hoisted 
it on board. As it came out of the sea we no- 
ticed that the staves were completely honey- 

22 



whaling in the South Pacific 

combed by the sea-worms. The water was 
spurting out as if it were a sprinkling-pot. 
"We had just got it over the ship's rail when 
it burst, and the contents fell on the deck. 
It proved to be palm-oil, probably from some 
vessel in the African trade that had been 
wrecked. It had, no doubt, drifted many thou- 
sands of miles. We saved two barrels of oil 
out of our catch. 

The weather soon began to get much cooler, 
and storms were frequent; then we began 
to see the albatross and Cape Horn pigeons. 
The latter is about the size of a domestic 
pigeon, but has webbed feet and a hooked bill, 
and is the only wild bird having variegated 
plumage, no two being marked alike. We caught 
quite a number of the albatross, some meas- 
uring seventeen feet from tip to tip of wing. 
We caught them with large fishhooks baited 
with a big piece of salt pork. The bait would 
float on the surface of the water. We had them 
walking all over the decks, as they cannot fly 
unless they run on water to give them a good 
start. The large webbed feet make excel- 

23 



The Story of a Strange Career 

lent money pouclies wlien dried and properly- 
dressed. 

In the month of January, midsummer in 
the southern hemisphere, we sighted Staten 
Land, the extreme southern point of South 
America, and ordinarily designated as Cape 
Horn. For the first time we then saw the Pa- 
cific Ocean, "so near and yet so far," for just 
at this time we were struck by a heavy north- 
west gale. A close-reefed main top-sail and 
storm stay-sail was all we could carry with the 
ship headed as close to the wind as possible, so 
as to ride over the mountain-like waves. The 
helm was lashed hard down, as there was no 
steerage way. 

There we were, drifting to the south for 
about three weeks before the gale broke, and 
we were able to make sail on the ship. It was 
daylight for twenty-two hours, and the other 
two hours of the twenty-four could not be 
called dark. Such days would be delightful 
for farmers in this part of the world. Soon 
after the storm we got fair winds, and were on 
our cruising grounds off the southern coast of 

24 



whaling in the South Pacific 

Chile and northern part of Patagonia (the new 
boundary gives the whole coast to Chile now). 

The ship's crew was then divided into four 
M^atches, with a boat-steerer in charge and only 
one watch on duty at a time, so we had plenty 
of leisure. Every night, all sail but two would 
be close reefed, top-sails would be furled, then 
the ship would be headed offshore until mid- 
night, and would then go about and stand in- 
shore until daylight, when all sail would be 
set again. At certain seasons whales come 
down the coast going south, and we were keep- 
insr a brio-ht lookout for them. 

Each whaleboat's outfit consists of three 
harpoons, two lances, one cutting-in spade, one 
tub with three hundred fathoms of five-eighths'- 
inch whale-line, one extra tub with one hundred 
fathoms, one tight keg containing boat compass, 
lantern, steel and flint, and some sea biscuit. 
The latter articles are used only in case the 
boat is lost from the ship, which frequently 
happens. 

There is a number of different species among 
the whales. They are all mammals, bringing 

25 



The Story of a Strange Career 

fortli and suckling their calves. On attacking 
a cow and calf together, it is the custom to kill 
the latter first, as the cow will never desert her 
calf. The sulphur-bottom whale is the largest, 
but it is never harpooned, as it is too dangerous, 
and will always run all the line out of the tubs 
before it stops sounding. The sperm whale 
furnishes the most valuable oil. The sperm 
whale throws its flukes, or tail, up and down 
when attacked, so it is possible for a boat to 
approach one head, or fluke, on. The right 
whale furnishes the common oil, and in larger 
quantities ; sometimes one fish will yield two 
hundred and fifty barrels of oil, as well as many 
pounds of whalebone, now very scarce and 
valuable. It hangs in large thin sheets from 
the jaws, wide at the top, and tapering to a 
narrow point with hair-like fringe on the edges. 
The right whale can be attacked only "head 
on," as they throw their flukes from side to 
side. They are captured in the cold northern 
seas, the sperm in southern waters. One hun- 
dred barrels is a large yield from one fish of 
the latter species. 

26 



whaling in the South Pacific 

We saw several whales, but could not get 
near them. Finally, one big fellow was sight- 
ed, and all boats were lowered, the first mate's 
being in the water first. Having a good fair 
wind, we set the boat's sail. In a short time 
we were close to the whale. Being stroke- 
osirsman, it was my duty to keep the sheet of 
the sail in my hand, having one turn around a 
cleat. The boat-steerer stands up with a har- 
poon ready. Soon we were right on top of the 
fish, the sheet was " let go," a harpoon was 
thrown just as we were going over the whale's 
back, and then the fun began. The line leads 
from the tub to a post in the stern of the boat 
— ^two turns around it — and thence through a 
cleat in the boat's bows. The tub was along- 
side me. I was kept busy throwing water on 
the line, so that the friction would not set fire 
to the post, or "loggerhead." The mate was 
holding that rope in his hand all the time, just 
keeping all the strain on it possible without 
sinking the boat. If he had let a kink get into 
that line as it came from the tub, the boat and 
crew would have gone under water in quick 

27 



The Story of a Strange Career 

order. If lie had let the line slip off the " log- 
gerhead " it would probably have killed every 
man in the boat. The noise and sawing of that 
rope, with the smoke and steam from the " log- 
gerhead," I can remember to this day. The 
whale stopped sounding at last. We were 
watching which way the line would point as 
the whale was coming up, and discovering that 
the line was directly under us, we got away 
from that spot in a very lively manner, as that 
was a sure sign that his whaleship intended to 
have a fight with the boat. They frequently 
play that trick, and the crew have to jump into 
the water, provided they have a chance to do so. 
In a few minutes our friend came to the sur- 
face, spouted water, and then started off " dead 
to windward" — they invariably do so — at a 
terrific speed. The boat-steerer and mate now 
changed places, and all the rnen except myself 
reversed positions, so as to face the boat's bow. 
They hauled in the line, and I coiled it care- 
fully back in the tub. When alongside of the 
whale, the mate threw a lance as often as pos- 
sible, aiming at a point just behind the fin, at 

28' 



whaling in the South Pacific 

what is called tlie " life." It is a mass of very 
large veins just under the backbone, that is 
used by the whale as a reservoir for the extra 
blood which it requires while under water. 
When that is once cut, a whale spouts blood 
instead of water. Down he went again. We 
had to keep up that sort of work for about 
two hours, until finally the blood was thrown 
from the spout, and we were completely covered 
with it. In a little while our capture began 
to swim in a circle and on one side with one 
fin out of water, and soon he was dead. 
Sharks made their appearance in the water 
so close to the boat that we could strike them 
with our oars, and hundreds of large sea-birds 
were wildly flying around us, all attracted by 
the blood. In the meantime the other boats 
had been rowing hard to overtake us if possible 
and assist, or pick us up, in case of accident* 
As we were dead to windward, and several 
miles from the ship, all the boats had to fasten 
on and tow the whale back, and a big contract 
it was. 

On the ship everything had been made ready 



The Story of a Strange Career 

for " cutting-in." Tlie fish was fastened along- 
side by heavy iron chains and, with heavy 
tackles from the main masthead and loading to 
the windlass, the blubber was slowly hoisted on 
deck. The captain and the mate did the cut- 
ting with long-handled blubber spades. They 
kept cutting one continuous strip two feet wide, 
and at every eight feet would cut a hole and 
hook in the next tackle ; and so they kept on 
hoisting and lowering until the blubber was all 
on board. It was a process similar to peeling 
an orange. The strain from the windlass kept 
the whale's body revolving in the water as the 
blubber was cut. The head was cut off and 
hoisted on deck entire. The chains being re- 
moved, the carcass, weighing many tons, sank to 
the bottom, the sharks voraciously following it. 
Then a fire was built under the try-pots, with 
wood. As the oil was boiled from the blubber 
it would be put in a cooling-pot and thence into 
casks, the scraps being used for fuel. That 
work lasted for about a week, everybody work- 
ing hard. It was nothing but oil all over the 
ship — clothing, food, and water — all had a lib- 

30 



whaling in the South Pacific 

eral allowance. Eighty barrels was the total of 
that catch. A few wrecks later we sighted a 
school of young whales. Several other ships 
being close at the time, it was boats, whales, 
sharks, and everything mixed up. 

Our boatswain got knocked overboard while 
we were fast to a whale ; another boat picked 
him up. We got only two whales out of the 
lot, fifteen barrels of oil out of one and twenty 
out of the other. Some of the other ships got 
five and six. About that time the season on 
that coast ended. The captain concluded to 
make for port and get fresh provisions and 
water, and then make a trip north of the 
equator. The water in our casks was getting 
rather stale ; it tasted and smelled like a strong 
decoction of dead rats. San Carlos, Chiloe Is- 
land, was the port we anchored in. I took a 
look at the shore and made up my mind that if 
I ever got my feet on dry land they would stay 
there. 



31 



CHAPTEE III 

A SAILOR ASHORE 

The water casks were hoisted up from tlie 
hold, lowered overboard and towed ashore, to 
be filled with fresh water. In about a week's 
time we finished that job, then all hands were 
to have twenty-four hours' liberty on shore — 
eight men at a time. My name was one of the 
first to be called. We received two dollars 
cash for spending money. Taking my chum 
aside, I quietly bid him good-bye, and then got 
into the boat. Everything was strange to me 
on shore — the customs, language, and sights. I 
got acquainted with a young American from 
another ship, by the name of Amos, and learned 
that he also was desirous to quit the oil busi- 
ness. During the day we kept with the other 
sailors, visiting the dance-houses. When even- 
ing came we both struck out for the woods. 

32 



A Sailor Ashore 

The natives were very kind to us, knowing 
that we were runaway sailors. They would in- 
vite us to sleep in their houses during the nights, 
when they would teach us to talk Spanish. It 
must have been very amusing to them, as they 
were continually laughing and saying " Bueno " 
(good). In the daytime we would go down to 
the beach to see whether our ships had left 
harbour yet. In about three weeks' time we 
had the pleasure of seeing both vessels standing 
out to sea. It was the last time that I saw the 
Courier on that coast. Her old ribs now lie in 
the sands at the mouth of Charleston Harbour, 
South Carolina. During the war the Govern- 
ment purchased a number of condemned whalers 
and fitted them up for sea, when they were 
loaded with stone and taken to Charleston Har- 
bour, dismantled, and sunk in the channels, in 
order to blockade the harbour more effectually. 
The whole world made a fuss about it. That 
blockading experiment was a dismal failure, as 
it was only a short time until the waters of the 
Ashley and Cooper rivers, combined with the 
ocean currents, washed out much deeper and 

33 



The Story of a Strange Career 

better diannels. I saw the sliip just before slie 
was sunk and bade the old Courier a last fare- 
well. 

A few days after our ships had left San 
Carlos we walked into town, interviewed the 
captain of the port, and asked for our dis- 
charge, saying that our ships had gone to sea 
and abandoned us in a foreign port. Well, 
we got our papers all right. We needed 
them at that time, as nobody could go from 
one town to another without having documents 
to show who they were — ^not even the natives. 
The country is under strict military govern- 
ment, the army having control of everything. 
My friend and I finally came to the conclu- 
sion that we were in a bad ^, being in a for- 
eign country, not able to speak the language, 
and having no money. There was no work to 
be obtained. After a while we made up our 
minds to work our passage to Valparaiso on 
some merchant vessel. We remained around 
the landing-dock for several days. Every cap- 
tain we spoke to replied to us kindly, but they 
had no places for us. In the meantime we had 

34 



A Sailor Ashore 

taken trips to the beacli, digging clams to eat. 
Tlie people in tlie town were not so liberal 
to ns as were the natives who lived at a dis- 
tance. 

While loafing around the dock one day we 
got into conversation with an American, a run- 
away whaler. He told us that he was a car- 
penter, had been li\dng several years in the 
country, and was married to a young Chilean 
woman. He wanted Amos to go to another of 
the islands and work with him. My friend 
would not go without me, so Tom, the carpen- 
ter, proposed that I should also go, as there 
was a blacksmith by the name of Bill who 
would be glad to have me as a helper. Now 
was the formation of a fine quartette of Yan- 
kees begun ! Amos was a graduate of a Down 
East reform school, very handy with tools, a 
fine-looking young fellow, but he could not 
read nor write, and he never could learn the 
Spanish languiage ; reference to a terribly ugly 
temper and vicious disposition completes his 
description. Our new friend took us to his 
house, gave us an introduction to his wife, a 
4 35 



The Story of a Strange Career 

very pretty young woman about sixteen years 
old. (They marry as young as eleven and 
twelve years of age.) 

Manuela was not educated and was exceed- 
ingly lazy, with lax ideas as to morality and 
virtue. Tom informed us that the next morn- 
ing we would start for the Island of Calabucco, 
as he had house rent free there and a contract 
to lengthen a boat for a priest. During the 
night Amos got out of bed, went to another 
house, and stole the only double-barrelled shot- 
gun in that town. Tom hid it in a mattress. 
After breakfast, we carried what household 
goods there were down to the dock. A tool- 
chest, a couple of pots, some dishes, a few 
clothes, and the bedding completed the outfit. 

Everything was put on board a sloop, and 
then we started for our new home. During 
the trip Senora Manuela was watching my 
friend Amos; the result was that Tom told 
me that I should live with him, and Amos 
would have to go to Bill's house. On our 
arrival we soon had our house in order. Op- 
posite to our place was the residence of the 

36 



A Sailor Ashore 

priest. I saw a number of dirty children — 
about eight — running about the place, also a 
woman. As I got better acquainted I had 
every reason to believe that poverty, piety, 
and celibacy were omitted from the Father's 
creed. 

After a rest of several days, we went to 
his reverence's yard and had a look at the boat. 
It was an old yawl from some ship, very short 
and broad. We were to make it three feet 
longer by piecing it in the centre. The boss 
asked me for my advice. I knew a lot about 
boats then. Oh, yes ; a very easy job — if we 
only knew how ! We waited a few days longer 
before going to work. Money was very scarce 
in that town, so they used a small cedar-board 
for currency. The size was about six feet long, 
six inches wide, and half an inch thick. The 
value of each was about six cents. The stores 
were small, and, for that reason, the cedar- 
boards were piled up in the back yards until 
some merchant would buy them at the mar- 
ket price — seven dollars a hundred — and ship 
them to Valparaiso. There were no lights 

37 



The Story of a Strange Career 

in the streets at night-time, and the night 
watchman would call out the hours and half- 
hours and the state of the weather during the 
whole night, so that one could always know 
exactly his whereabouts. My friend Amos, 
with his past experience, took advantage of 
that fact, and induced me to go into the lum- 
ber business with him. Night after night we 
were busy cKmbing over fences and carrying 
off cedar-boards. About thirty-five each was 
considered a fair load for a trip. In the day- 
time we took them to different places and 
made our purchases. 

One day we at Tom's house got excited. 
The double-barrelled shotgun was gone. We 
watched our chance and stole it back from the 
house presided over by Bill and Amos ; how- 
ever, they stole it back again in course of time, 
and kept it. Tom's ranch did not suit me, so 
I went to work for a native shoemaker. Amos 
quit Bill and went to Tom. I quit the shoe- 
maker and went with Bill. About that time 
Tom concluded it would be easier to make a 
new boat out and out. The padre was of the 

38 



A Sailor Ashore 

same opinion. He told Tom lie could have the 
old boat for his own use. So the job began in 
earnest, but our friend was not a very good 
man for that kind of work ; he could not do 
anything until he took the old yawl apart for 
patterns to work by. It was about one year 
before the new boat was finished. In the town 
was a man who owned a launch — a home-made 
affair, with planks two and a half inches thick. 
For oars he had rough, heavy poles with pieces 
of boards fastened on the ends for blades. 
Nothing but a boat-race would settle the point 
as to which was the faster. Our padre was 
quite a sport. At any cock-fighting, gambling, 
horse- or boat-racing he was always the umpire 
and prime mover. Eight sheep and one barrel 
of cider were the stakes to be raced for. One 
Sunday morning, just after mass, the race took 
place. The padre's boat came in about a half 
mile ahead — the whole course was not two 
miles. Tom's reputation as a boat-builder was 
away up in consequence, and he got the " big- 
head" badly. That night he gave a select 
party at his house in honour of the event. 

39 



The Story of a Strange Career 

Aguardiente was the only refreshment served ; 
and towards midnight all were drunk, Tom es- 
pecially so. A thin partition separated the 
bedroom from the main apartment. Our host, 
in staggering around, fell against the door, and 
tumbled on to his own bed, only to find it al- 
ready occupied. Then there was a row ; the 
guest jumped out of the window, with the 
other occupant a close second. 

My new employer, the blacksmith, was a 
fine-looking man of six feet two inches in 
height, and built in proportion. He had a fair 
complexion and light hair hanging in ringlets 
down his shoulders. He was from Baltimore, 
Md. Swearing, drinking aguardiente, and talk 
— that was all he was good for. His wife was 
a widow seventeen years of age when he mar- 
ried her. They had three little boys, the 
most vicious little wretches that I ever came 
in contact with. As for their home, it was 
squalid and filthy. No floor, and the fire was 
in the centre of the only room. On each side 
was a board resting on stone : that was the only 
place we had to sit down. A most cheerful 

40 



A Sailor Ashore 

family circle we made. The children were con- 
tinually raising Cain, and Bill swearing at them 
in Spanish. As yet none of the bosses had 
ever said anything about wages. However, I 
never had any work to do, so that equalized 
affairs. 

One day Bill — or Guillermo, as he was 
called — was wanted at a saw-mill on the main- 
land. A freshet had made a wreck of the mill 
and dam. None of the natives was willing to 
work, so Bill induced Amos and me to go with 
him. At last I was working for fifty cents a 
day. After a while we got the dam repaired, 
and then fixed up the mill. It then dawned 
upon Don Fernando's mind that he had no one 
to run the aforesaid mill. So he made a con- 
tract with us to do the sawing at two cents a 
board, we to "find" ourselves in food and 
cooking utensils. Bill sent for his family; 
Amos and I occupied a small room in the 
mill for a living apartment, where we were to 
keep bachelors' hall. Our stock of provisions 
was furnished on credit from the employer's 
store. Wheat flour was worth eight cents a 

41 



The Story of a Strange Career 

pound, but wheat was worth only fifty cents 
a bushel. This seeming profit was used up 
in sending the wheat to Valparaiso for grinding 
and then having it shipped back as flour, as 
no railroads were there then. 

The mill was a most primitive affair ; the 
amount of labour was astounding, the results of 
our toil much more so ; a hundred boards was 
our largest day's work, and I will guarantee 
that not any two of them were of equal thick- 
ness at the end. Some days we would have no 
logs to saw; other days there would be no 
water in the dam. Bill had one cent as fore- 
man, Amos and I each half a cent a board. 
Our average was about twenty cents a day 
each. 

We found ourselves gradually getting into 
debt for provisions and clothing. After talk- 
ing over our financial affairs one evening, we 
came to the conclusion that our prospects 
looked gloomy. About bedtime Amos put on 
his hat and coat and invited me to do the same. 
He was always sullen, so I never asked him 
any questions. When we were outside the 

42 



A Sailor Ashore 

room be informed me that in future lie would 

live a sight cheaper and better than he 

had been doing in the past. All I could say 
was, "Amen, brother!" My fiiend proved to 
be a good forager ; before morning we had a 
nicely dressed sheep hanging up in our room, 
also a big supply of potatoes under the bed. 
That was the only time in my life that I was 
guilty of sheep-stealing. We lived high on 
roast mutton and potatoes ; but, alas ! we were 
found out. They blamed Amos for the whole 
business ; but, on attempting to arrest him, they 
made a mistake, as he pulled out a big knife, 
and coolly walked away from that part of the 
country. Afterward he stole a horse; that 
was the last we heard about him in Chile. 

Every one called me "Bueno muchacho" 
(good boy), while Amos was designated "Muy 
picaro " (great rascal). Don Fernando An- 
drade was over sixty years of age ; he had a 
fine-looking wife and quite a number of chil- 
dren — the oldest one twenty-six years, and the 
youngest six months old. He took quite an 
interest in me, as I was always very quiet, 

43 



The Story of a Strange Career 

polite, and strictly temperate. Finally, he had 
me live with his own family, and treated me 
as if I were one of his own sons. They 
used to laugh and make ^f un of me because I 
washed my hands and face twice a day. In 
that part of the country they never wash them- 
selves at all: *^Se maltrata el cuero" (it ill- 
treats the skin) was their reason, I presume; 
laziness also. About that time I wrote to my 
father and mother in New York. The postage 
then on a foreign letter was fifty cents, with 
only one mail a month on that coast. In about 
four months I received an answer from San 
Francisco, Cal. My father had failed in busi- 
ness in New York, indorsing notes, and a panic 
ruined him. He was doing well in California, 
and wanted me to come there. Don Fernando 
had a contract for a large number of rail- 
road-ties for Peru. The natives would cut and 
pile them on the beach ready for loading. A 
schooner was sent up from Don Carlos for a 
cargo of them. The captain was an English- 
man, and we became quite friendly. He offered 
to take me to San Carlos whenever I wished to 



A Sailor Ashore 

go. By the time tlie schooner was loaded I 
got homesick, and, all at once, I made up my 
mind to go home, so I bid Don Fernando good- 
bye. He was sorry to have me leave, but 
would not coax me to remain away from my 
parents. 



45 



CHAPTEK TV 

I TAKE TO THE SEA AGAIN 

At San Carlos was a large ship receiving 
the ties as they were brought from the differ- 
ent islands. The captain shipped me as an 
ordinary seaman at ten dollars a month. The 
vessel was the Androkolis, of Copenhagen, Den- 
mark. Our destination was Callao, Peru. I 
never reached San Francisco, although I sailed 
eighteen hundred miles towards that city. San 
Carlos was 42° and Callao 12° south latitude. 
The crew of the Androkolis was composed 
of Danes, Swedes, Norwegians, two Holland- 
ers, and one Englishman, every one of them 
speaking a different language from mine, ex- 
cept the man from Liverpool, Jimmy Kincaid 
by name. Now Jimmy and I became chums. 
He was very short and broad, and possessed 
unusually large hands and feet. He was about 

46 



I Take to the Sea Again 

twenty years old. We little knew what hard- 
ships were in store for us when we became 
friends. If lie is alive to-day, lie remembers, 
beyond all doubt, the night we saw the Flying 
Dutchman while rounding Cape Horn on an- 
other vessel.* We both saw that vessel — of 
course it was only an illusion — but we were 
both badly scared for a few minutes, as certain 
death appeared imminent. I will explain it in 
time. There are a few thousand miles of sea 
to be sailed over before we come to the story 
of that night. 

We had a very pleasant voyage. Sailing 
north towards the equator, the weather was 
gradually getting warmer. In about four 
weeks' time we sighted the Island of San Lo- 
renzo, an immense, high rock which formed the 
western side of Callao Harbour. The ship's 
sails were taken in and fui-led, all but the top- 
sails. At last we came to anchor. Where our 
ship lay in the bay was directly over the old 

* Like the Wandering Jew on land, there is a ship at sea sail- 
ing on and on until doomsday, manned by a crew of very old 
Dutchmen, who are expiating some sin. 

47 



The Story of a Strange Career 

city. A number of years ago, during one night, 
an earthquake submerged Callao and raised up 
San Lorenzo from beneath the waters. Five 
miles inland is the city of Lima, the capital of 
Peru and the burial-place of Pizarro, the con- 
queror of that country. The only railroad on 
that coast at that time was the five-mile track 
connecting the two cities. Jimmy and I rowed 
the captain ashore in the ship's boat. Sitting 
on the steps when we arrived there was my old 
friend Amos. We were much surprised to meet 
again. He told me all about himself since 
leaving the saw-mill in Chile so abruptly. He 
invited me to visit him at the hospital, although 
there was nothing in his appearance to indicate 
that he was an invalid. 

Lighters came to the ship, and the unload- 
ing of our cargo commenced. Jimmy and I 
were promoted to be cook and steward of the 
vessel, I being the latter. One Sunday we had 
an afternoon holiday on shore. The captain 
let us have only one dollar each out of the 
wages due to us. The first place we visited 
was the hospital, in quest of Amos. It was a 

48 



I Take to the Sea Again 

terribly hot day. On a large grassy plain front 
ing the building were a number of healthy 
looking men playing a very lively game of ball 
You can imagine our surprise when Amos in 
formed us that they were the patients belong- 
ing to the hospital. The explanation was 
simple enough. Every man aboard of an 
American ship has to pay twenty-five cents a 
month to support the marine hospitals. A ship 
cannot get clearance papers until it is paid. That 
entitles the sailors to admission to any marine 
hospital in the United States when they are 
taken sick. If in a foreign port, the American 
consul is obliged to pay for their keeping at 
whatever hospital may be found in that place. 
The consul for Callao was a kind-hearted old 
man by the name of Mills. Any American 
sailor who would go to him and say, "I am 
sick. Consul," would get an order for admission 
at once. A number of seamen imposed on him. 
It was an object for them to get their board 
and clothing free while they were waiting only 
for seamen's wages to rise as high as possible ; 
then they would ship for some long voyage. 

49 



The Story of a Strange Career 

The hospital authorities were easily enough 
satisfied, as they were well paid, and the pa- 
tients were able to attend to their own ailments. 
After our return to the ship, Jimmy was 
continually coaxing me to remain in Peru with 
him, and live among the natives for a while. 
I was anxious to get to San Francisco, but no 
ships in harbour were bound in that direction, 
although a number arrived from there, loading 
with guano and going around Cape Horn. At 
last I promised to go with Jimmy. He had 
eighty dollars due him, and I twelve, but the 
captain would not discharge us and pay us off. 
Then we got mad and determined to go any- 
way. We got our clothes packed up in bags, 
ready for any chance we could get to leave the 
ship. With the ship's telescope we took a good 
look at the shores of the bay. At one place 
the beach looked as if it would be a good land- 
ing-place for us ; it appeared like the edge of a 
mill-pond. Our chance soon came. The boat had 
not been hoisted up out of the water, as was 
customary, but had been left overnight fastened 
to the ship's side. Each sailor in turn had to 

60 



I Take to the Sea Again 

stand "anclior watcli" during the night for 
one hour. He would then wake up his relief 
and go to bed. There was a Dutchman whose 
turn would be at three o'clock in the morning. 
I told him when he was called to awaken me 
then he could go to sleep again, as Jimmy and 
I had to make fresh bread for breakfast, and 
we would do the anchor watching. Sure 
enough, " Dutchy " woke me up ; then I called 
Jimmy, and in a short time we had our clothes 
in the boat, also a good double-barrelled shot- 
gun, a pair of pistols, a silver watch, and a 
couple of dozen of clean shirts belonging to the 
captain. We wished to have something for 
the money that was due us. 

Away we went for the landing-place that 
we had selected. It was dark, and quite diffi- 
cult to see the beach; it appeared to us as 
though we were close to a wall, several feet 
high, of rocks. The noise of the surf also made 
us careful about landing. At last we discov- 
ered that it was low tide, and the wall was 
only the wet cobble-stones left uncovered at 
low water. We pulled hard, so as to run 
5 51 



The Story of a Strange Career 

through the surf, and we went up the beach on 
a heavy roller. Jimmy stood in the bow of 
the boat, ready to jump and hold the rope, or 
^^ painter," as it is called, as the surf receded. 
He was a little slow in jumping, consequently 
the boat went back with the surf in a hurry, 
Jimmy's feet went from under him, and he 
landed head first on the rocks. The next roller 
brought the boat in again; this time we suc- 
ceeded, and got everything on land. The boat 
was pushed out in the surf, and was found 
the next day floating bottom up. We heard 
afterward that it was reported we had both 
been drowned. 

About nine o'clock I went to the hospital 
and told Amos what we had done. He agreed 
to introduce us to a friend of his, who would 
take care of us for a few days. That afternoon 
he brought a man with him to our camping- 
place. In the evening everything was taken to 
a house in the city. It very soon dawned upon 
us that we had got into the worst sailors' 
"robbers' roost" that was in the town. Our 
clothing and possessions were all locked up in a 

62 



I Take to the Sea Again 

room. We were made to understand that to 
remain in tlie house would be the best thing 
we could do. From what I afterward saw in 
that place I had reason to believe they meant 
what they said. The Vigilance Committee in 
San Francisco had driven all the tough charac- 
ters out of the city. Quite a number of the 
worst ones went to Callao and started sailor 
boarding-houses and saloons. They formed a 
"ring" for mutual benefit. The English con- 
sul and a number of the Peruvian port officers 
were in with them. A fine crowd of robbers 
they were. They kept the sailors' wages high, 
beyond doubt, but only for the reason that 
they would have more for themselves when 
they cheated the seamen out of two months' 
advance pay. It is always customary to give 
that much on long voyages, or " deep sea trips," 
as they call them. After a few days' sojourn 
in our quiet boarding-house, we concluded that 
any change would be for the better. The 
landlord informed us that a small English brig 
was going up the coast, and that he could ship 
us both as ordinary seamen. In the English 

53 



The Story of a Strange Career 

merchant marine a man cannot be shipped 
unless he has a discharge from another vessel ; 
in the American service no papers are needed. 
We obtained discharges belonging to other 
sailors, who had no use for them. The land- 
lord took us to the English consul's office. My 
name was to be Michael Murray. The clerk 
read the law, as is customary; one rule espe- 
cially — that any man assuming another name 
would forfeit all wages. We had given bogus 
papers. When I went to sign the articles I 
was rather embarrassed, as I had forgotten my 
new name, so they had to tell me what it was. 
We were taken to our new ship, which was 
anchored out in the bay. 

I was not greatly pleased when I found 
what was in store for me. The wages were 
twenty-five dollars a month. The landlord had 
received fifty dollars — two months' pay — in 
advance. He was to deduct my board bill 
and give me the balance of the money, but I 
never got a cent of it. I had been "shang- 
haied," as the sailors call it. Instead of going 
up the coast, as I was told we were to do, I 

54 



I Take to the Sea Again 

found we were bound for Cork, Ireland, a voy- 
age of eighty-five hundred and twenty miles. 
The vessel itself was a "holy terror," very 
heavily rigged, while everything on board was 
old and played out, the rusty blocks, with 
heavy running gear, making it very hard work 
for us, especially as we had a crew of only six 
men, where twelve seamen, at least, should have 
been a crew for that old tub. The cargo was 
guano in bulk, as a scow would be loaded with 
dirt. Our sleeping quarters were in the fore- 
castle, situated in the bow of the vessel. 
Everything was covered w^ith guano. As we 
had to live below, it was our first object to 
clean up the place. Buckets of water were 
passed down the scuttle, and the place was 
cleaned up as well as we could do it ; but it 
was of no use ; the smell of ammonia made us 
sick. Some w^ould vomit, others bled at the 
nose, and a thick black phlegm would form in 
our throats. The weather being warm, we 
slept on the deck, as we could not endure it in 
the forecastle below. 

Guano is the droppings from sea-birds, which 
65 



The Story of a Strange Career 

have been accumulating for thousands of years. 
The Chincha Islands, belonging to Peru, have 
an inexhaustible supply. No rain ever falls in 
that country, consequently nothing is washed 
away. The depth of the guano is from four 
to eight feet. When a ship is to be loaded 
with guano, it has to go to Callao first for a 
permit, then to the Chincha Islands. The cargo 
is put in by Chinese coolies, and then the vessel 
returns to Callao for a clearance, also to pay a 
certain amount per ton. 



56 



CHAPTEK Y 

OlSr THE BRIG GEENFALLS 

The brig Grenf alls, of Sunderland, was our 
packet. Just before getting up anchor we asked 
tbe captain if lie intended to get more men for 
the voyage. He curtly said " No." Then we 
came very near having a mutiny. Finally we 
agreed to get up the anchor, especially as the 
captain threatened to make a signal to the 
British man-of-war for assistance, so we had to 
go anyway. I remember seeing the United 
States frigate Merrimac in the harbour and wish- 
ing myself aboard her. The next time I saw 
that vessel it had been transformed into an iron- 
clad by the rebels, and had destroyed the Con- 
gress and the Cumberland. The first week at 
sea we had very pleasant weather. After that 
it became gradually colder and stormy. No 
more sleeping on deck. The forecastle was the 
only place for us then. 

57 



The Story of a Strange Career 

Two quarts of water a day was our allow- 
ance, one pint eacli for breakfast, dinner, and 
supper; the remaining pint was for drinking 
during the following hours of the twenty -four. 
The hardtack that we had to eat was covered 
with green mould and full of large white meal 
worms. The salt pork was red with rust and 
filled with white spots. Probably the hogs 
were killed on account of measles and pickled 
for sailors' use at sea. The salt beef, or horse- 
meat, as it was called, was rather tough eating ; 
besides, everything we ate or drank was highly 
flavoured with guano. 

Off the coast of Patao-onia we encountered a 
heavy northwest gale of wind ; then our mis- 
ery began in earnest. In harbour the deck 
was only sixteen inches above water ; in rough 
weather the seas were continually washing over 
the decks. It was necessary to make gill guys 
by fastening ropes diagonally across the deck 
from forward to aft. In going from one place 
to another we could take hold of the guy nearest 
to us, then get over and reach for the next be- 
fore letting go of the first one. That was the 

58 



On the Brig Grenfalls 

only way to keep from being washed overboard 
or thrown against the ship's rail. 

One night we heard water swashing under 
the forecastle deck. We told the mate about 
it. There was a bulkhead dividing the fore- 
castle from the main hold; on the other side 
was a short half-deck. We cut a hole in it and 
lowered a lantern. A lot of water could be 
plainly seen. The vessel rolling would mix the 
guano with it. By working all of the men we 
got it out. All the crew supposed it to be the 
same water that we used in cleaning out our 
quarters, but we said nothing about it to the 
mate. We used plenty of it and let it run into 
the hold. The next night we heard the same 
swashing again ; then we knew there was a leak 
somewhere. From that time the muddy water 
had to be taken out in buckets and thrown on 
the deck twice a day. The seas would wash it 
overboard. The leak was found at last. A 
long iron bolt in the foremast rigging chains 
had become rusty and worked loose. The bolt 
went through one of the knees which supported 
the deck beams. Being below the loading line, 

59 



The Story of a Strange Career 

the water would come in and drop on the 
guano. It could not drain through and get to 
the pumps. 

All our clothing got very rotten ; shoes and 
boots became very hard; any cuts or bruises 
on our bodies would not heal up ; the palms of 
our hands were full of black holes the size of 
a pin-head ; the skin became very thick, and 
would crack open at each finger- joint ; our hair 
fell out, so that we became prematurely bald. 
The windlass also, every time the brig rolled, 
would slide a few inches from side to side, and 
would make the deck-seams open enough to 
allow the water to drop through on our beds. 
For three months our beds and clothing were 
dripping wet. When I went to bed I would 
get to sleep at once, and it was hard to 
wake me up. Going from a wet, steaming hot 
bed to stand watch on deck in that cold weather 
was no joke. Each watch changes every four 
hours. Jimmy and myself were in the mate's 
watch : two hours each at the wheel and two 
on the lookout. The officers were the worst 
cowards that I ever came in contact with at 

60 



On the Brig Grenfalls 

sea. At one time the captain did not come on 
deck for two weeks. There being no sun visible 
in that storm, no observations could be taken, 
so we had to sail by " dead reckoning." The 
mate would sneak into the cabin during most 
of the watch, and leave Jimmy and myseK to 
take the chances of being washed overboard. 
When it was my lookout I would go to the 
cook's galley, and let the brig do her own 
watching. My chum did the same as I. Two 
hours at wheel-steering would knock a prize- 
fighter out. There was a very short iron tiller 
in the rudder-post. The wheel-chains were 
iron and slack; consequently, every time the 
rudder would jerk, the helmsman would be 
raised up a couple of feet, and then landed 
back again almost quick enough to snap his 
head off. I was thrown clear over the wheel 
several times. I tried the experiment of let- 
ting go a few times when the wheel commenced 
to gripe ; then I did come to grief ; it would 
whirl around one way and then back again. 
In trying to stop it, the spokes would hit me 
a good rap on the knuckles. One eighth of 

61 



The Story of a Strange Career 

a point off the course is considered bad steer- 
ing, but our old packet would " yaw " off five 
whole points each way in spite of us. It 
seemed as if the stern were trying to get 
ahead of the bow. Whenever I see a mule 
turning his head back to look at his driver, 
it always reminds me of the old brig Gren- 
falls. Besides the leak, a new danger con- 
fronted us. 

As we neared Cape Horn the seas became 
much higher and the storm increased. The 
sun would rise at nearly ten o'clock in the 
morning, and go down at two in the afternoon. 
The clouds were very heavy, and seemingly 
close to the water. Heavy snow-storms were 
common. The wind, however, was in our 
favour. Sometimes there would be a lull in 
the gale ; then more sail would have to be set 
to keep us ahead of the immense high waves, 
else one might come over our stern and sink 
us. On the other hand was the danger of 
going too fast ; in that case the vessel would 
run under and, loaded as it was, must go down 
like a piece of iron. Another trouble was 

62 



On the Brig Grenfalls 

that we had to heave-to frequently, and that 
was very dangerous. Now going before the 
wind and then swinging around head to 
wind, as near as possible, compelled us to get 
into the trough of the sea. If we had been 
struck by one of those huge waves broadside 
on, the voyage would have terminated just 
then. 

The gale that brought us to Cape Horn fol- 
lowed the Pacific coast to Staten Island, and 
then up the Atlantic Ocean. One day, as we 
were sailing too slowly, a great wave almost 
broke over our stem. The main top-gallant- 
sail was set in a hurry. A few hours after- 
ward the wind increased, and the light sail 
had to be taken in. Before Jimmy and I 
could get aloft to furl it, there was nothing 
left. The wind had blown it away in small 
pieces. That night we were compelled to 
heave to again. No matter which way the 
tub's head was pointed, we were going in the 
right direction, even if it were stern first, 
drifting before the wind. Our cook and stew- 
ard was a wild, red-headed fellow — Darwin's 

(33 



The Story of a Strange Career 

missing link. My chum accused liim of cheat- 
ing us out of our pint of drinking water. They 
were quarrelling all day about it. That night 
Keddy came to the forecastle scuttle while I 
was getting some hard-tack ready for eating — 
that is, hunting for meal worms. Reddy com- 
menced the row again. He was just going to 
paralyze Jimmy ! I had not said a word yet, 
but my chum was not going to be hurt if I 
could help it. At last the man became quite 
brave. He told Jimmy he'd lick him and his 
chum together. The chum was myself. So 
we invited him to come below. He lost no 
time in doing so. Before he got haK-way down 
we jumped for him. What a good thrashing 
he got for his trouble ! When we got through 
pounding him, he was dragged to the opening 
in the bulkhead. Our intention was to throw 
him down the hole into the water and the 
guano. We pushed too hard, so that he went 
a-flying over the right place, very luckily, as 
he would have been smothered in the guano- 
water. Reddy stayed in bed for two days. He 
told the captain that the whole crew had tried 

64 



On the Brig Grenfalls 

to kill him. When he got out of bed his face 
was blue, green, and yellow; this, with the 
eyes nicely blacked and his red hair, made a 
fine combination of colours. Neither one of 
us had been struck once, and there was no 
more trouble about water. 

One night, just after being relieved from 
watch, all hands were called to shorten sail. 
On deck I had to go again. There we were 
kept for thirty-two hours, tending to the sails 
and bailing out water and guano. A few nights 
afterward I was at the wheel. The mate 
sneaked into the cabin ; Jimmy was in the gal- 
ley. There I was, tired out, my clothes drip- 
ping wet with sea water and the wheel nearly 
jerking my arms off. Suddenly the brig yawed 
off and was struck by a heavy sea. I could 
feel the vessel quivering under my feet ; with 
one hand I could not move the wheel either 
way. I thought we were sinking and that 
my day had come. The water on deck was 
above my knees. Suddenly the wheel began 
its old tricks again, very much to my relief. 
The port bulwarks from the main to the 

65 



The Story of a Strange Career 

fore-rigging had been carried away even to 
tlie deck. Spare spars had to be fastened 
there by ropes until we got into port. The 
second mate said it was my fault on account of 
bad steering. 

One day all hands were busy bailing water 
and guano out of the hold. I was at the wheel 
again, trying my best to steer straight. It was 
of no use ; the old tub yawed around and was 
struck by a heavy sea. A large quantity of 
water went down the scuttle and made more 
mud, all of which had to be bailed out. How 
everybody did swear and growl ! But I derived 
some consolation on account of the second mate 
being nearly killed. The water had knocked 
him oJS: his feet and dashed him against the bul- 
warks. When he came aft, rubbing his arms 
and legs, I had to grin. That was the only 
time I ever felt really happy on that packet. 
Shortly afterwards he took the wheel and sent 
me to help the bucket brigade. Very soon the 
brig yawed again. I knew what would happen 
when I saw a heavy wave coming, so got down 
the scuttle and shut it very quickly. After the 

66 



On the Brig Grenfalls 

commotion was all over I got on deck. Very 
much to my joy, tlie starboard bulwarks liad 
been carried away. My friend tlie second mate 
had nothing to say about bad steering after 
that. 



6Y 



CHAPTEE YI 

THE FLYma DUTCHMAN , 

That night we were compelled to heave 
to, for the waves were almost sinking us. At 
two o'clock in the morning my chum was to re- 
lieve me at the wheel. He was rather slow 
about doing it, too, as it was very comfortable 
for him in the galley. I was about played out 
holding the helm hard down, there being no 
steerage-way, as we were drifting to the leeward. 
Our object was to keep the vessel head on to 
the seas as nearly as possible, so as to ride over 
them as they came along. So much guano had 
been taken from the f orehold that it caused the 
brig to settle by the stern and raise the forward 
part up, consequently every time the bow dipped 
into a wave the water which came over would 
rush aft on the deck, strike the taffrail, and give 
the man at the wheel a good shower-bath. That 

68 



The Flying Dutchman 

happened every few minutes. Between drench- 
ings we had the cold wind for a variety. The 
ship's clock was in the cabin skylight, visible 
to the helmsman, whose duty it was to strike the 
bell one stroke for every half hour. At four 
bells he was to be relieved ; at eight bells the 
watches would change ; thus it would be four 
hours on deck and four hours below until we 
arrived in port. Now I had been watching the 
clock very anxiously for two hours, my whole 
body stiff and numb with the cold and wet. 
Nearly a half hour after the right time, my 
friend Jimmy very reluctantly made his appear- 
ance. I waited until he had hold of the wheel 
and then I chided him in very impolite language. 
When I had said everything that I could think 
of to hurt his feelings I stopped. In the mean- 
time I was holding on to a rope and sharing the 
shower-baths with him. It helped to loosen my 
jaws, at any rate, even if it did no other good. 
The cook's galley is a small house built on 
deck, in size about four by six feet, with a 
sliding door on each side, the one to windward 
being always kept shut except in very fine 

69 



The Story of a Strange Career 

weather. Now I was hustling along as fast 
as my stiff joints would allow me to get into 
the galley. There, at least, I would be sheltered 
from the cold winds. I had got inside and was 
turning to close the door, when I saw a sight 
which simply paralyzed me. A large full- 
rigged ship with squared yards, all sails set, 
even to the royals and studding-sails rigged 
out on both sides, was coming straight for us, 
and distant only a few hundred yards. Our 
brig, being hove to, was helpless to get out of 
the way. Certain destruction seemed inevita- 
ble, with no possible hope of escaping a speedy 
death. I yelled out at the top of my voice, " A 
ship on the lee beam ! " Jimmy, at the wheel, 
got a glimpse of the ship, and let out a yelp 
that brought the mate on deck. The mate, 
who had been loafing in the cabin and shirking 
his duty, also did some tall yelping when he 
saw our danger. There was no chance to get 
on our knees to pray then. The decks were 
too wet and slippery, besides, we had to use our 
hands to keep from being washed overboard. 
As we could not do the proper thing in ortho- 

70 



The Flying Dutchman 

dox style, we did some tall cursing, as being 
the next best thing under the circumstances. 
Swearing is a sailor's balm for many ills. 

We were terribly excited ; only a few sec- 
onds and all would be over with us. Our brig 
was drifting north at the rate of three miles an 
hour. The strange vessel was heading south in 
that gale and with all sails set ; she should have 
been racing through the water at a twenty- 
knots rate. You can imagine our surprise when 
we observed that the other vessel was rapidly 
going backward and disappearing in a hazy 
mist. Suddenly there was a break in the 
clouds, and we had a glimpse of the full moon 
for a few minutes, for the first time in several 
weeks, although the nights were nearly twenty 
hours in length. Soon we were in darkness 
again. That was our first experience with the 
ship Flying Dutchman. The whole affair had 
happened so suddenly and unexpectedly that 
we had no time to think. The idea of a 
ship carrying all sail in that gale was ridic- 
ulous, but to sail dead against the wind was 
still more so. We were very much disgusted 

n 



The Story of a Strange Career 

witli ourselves for being so badly fooled, but, 
at the same time, we were a greatly scared lot 
of sailors. Tlie explanation was simple enough. 
The clouds were black and heavy, flying low 
down near the water. A rift in them allowed 
the moon to shine dimly between the edges 
and cause the illusion. A few nights after- 
ward we were running before the wind. All 
hands were close-reefing the main top-sail. Off 
the port bow we saw what appeared to be a 
ship on fire. Our course was altered to that 
du'ection, and it proved to be the old Dutch- 
man again. At last the gale from the south 
broke up. We had got into the " pamperos " — 
westerly winds from Buenos Ayres. The days 
were increasing in length, and the weather be- 
came much warmer. The wind being on our 
beam, we could steer straight, compared with 
what we had been doing before the wind. Be- 
sides, the heavy rolling and lurching had dimin- 
ished greatly. The effect of heavy cargo, so 
much below the water-line, was greatly counter- 
acted by the wind striking us sideways. Going 
before the wind, the old brig rolled terribly at 

72 



The Flying Dutchman 

times — so mucli so tliat we often expected the 
masts to be snapped off, on account of tlie sud- 
den jerking from side to side. Tlie forecastle 
was always wet and muddy, and, while eating, 
we would sit on a chest, holding our pans in 
our laps, a cup in one hand, and conveying the 
food to our mouths with the other, with both 
heels firmly braced on the deck. Time and 
again an extra lurch would send us a-sliding to 
the other side, bang against a chest or bunk, 
the food flying in every direction. Back and 
forth we would go a dozen times before we 
could stop. The sulphur and brimstone 
would hang in festoons from the deck beams 
by the time we had stopped cursing the old 
brig. 

On the first clear day, instead of going to 
bed in my morning watch below, eight to 
twelve in the morning, I went aloft to the fore- 
top, and remained there the four hours enjoying 
the luxury of an airy wind-bath. It was the 
first time in nearly three months that my cloth- 
ing was dry, and not so very dry then, either. 
The mates had been throwing out hints about 

73 



The Story of a Strange Career 

going into port for repairs. We had passed all 
the Pacific harbours, and were doing the same 
with the Atlantic harbours, when, very much 
to our joy, we sighted the Sugar Loaf, a very 
high conical rock, it being the southern point 
of land at the entrance to the harbour of E-io 
de Janeiro — River of January — Brazil, South 
America. So, much to our joy, we were 
bound for port. My chum and I were of one 
mind — that was, to quit the guano business 
P. D. Q. 

The entrance to the harbour was very nar- 
row and well fortified. There were steep rocks 
on each side. We were hailed from one of the 
forts and asked the brig's name, destination, 
and last port. Our sails were gradually taken 
in. At last we rounded to and dropped anchor. 
Rio is admitted by all sailors to be the finest 
harbour in the world, and I will guarantee that 
our old tub of a brig was the most dilapidated 
and dirtiest specimen of the shipbuilder's handi- 
craft that ever anchored in it. It is a generally 
well-founded belief among sailors that rats will 
deseii; a sinking ship. We often remarked that 

74 



The Flying Dutchman 

a rat had not been seen on the Grenfalls during 
the voyage. I must say the rodents made a very 
close calculation, if that was the reason for at 
some time quitting their cosy quarters. My 
first act in port was to tie a rope around my 
wet blankets and lower them into the water. 
By swashing them up and down for awhile, I got 
considerable of the mud removed. Hanging in 
the hot sun, they became dry by evening. So 
I enjoyed a good night's sleep on deck. It 
was quite a contrast from what I had been 
doing for weeks past — namely, getting into 
a soaking wet bed with all my clothes on, 
dripping with water, and the sea dropping 
on me in small instalments through the leaky 
decks. , 

Our worthy captain was an entirely differ- 
ent man from what he was at sea in the 
Cape Horn regions. Warm weather, with no 
danger to be feared, made quite an improve- 
ment in his personal appearance. He was also 
more self-important and domineering. The two 
mates and he were small men, about five feet 
two inches in height. The way in which they 

75 



The Story of a Strange Career 

murdered the Queen's English was something 
simply terrible. " Mike, 'ow's 'er 'ead ? " was 
the question often asked at the wheel when 
they wished to know the point of the com- 
pass I was steering, so as to enter it in the 
log-book. The disabled condition of the brig 
had been reported to the English consul. He 
appointed three ship captains to " survey " our 
vessel, and report whether it was seaworthy or 
not. They came on board and examined every- 
thing. We, the sailors, took our knives and 
showed them how rotten the remaining bul- 
warks were, how the decks leaked ; in fact, we 
did all we could to get the old tub condemned. 
It was estimated that one hundred tons of 
guano had been dumped overboard ; however, 
nothing was said about the quantity of water 
that went with it. The captains looked very 
wise, but said nothing. Finally, they got 
into their boats and returned to shore. My 
shipmates and myself were in great hope 
that the vessel would be condemned as unsea- 
worthy. That meant our release and three 
months' extra pay on account of being dis- 

76 



The Flying Dutchman 

charged in a foreign port. Greatly to our dis- 
gust, the report was briefly : " The brig Gren- 
falls, with necessary repairs, is fit to continue 
the voyage." 

In a few days we hoisted anchor and sailed 
up to a small island close to the city. After 
considerable trouble we got the old tub fas- 
tened to a small dock. Then we were allowed 
time to dispose of a mighty poor dinner. All 
the remaining guano was to be taken out and 
placed on the dock, a job which we did not 
like. Jim and myself, while eating, had a quiet 
talk on the chances of getting our discharge 
from the vessel. We both decided to declare 
war. No more guano work for us ! We were 
eating our last dinner on that boat, but we did 
not know it then. The war took place in 
earnest, and most unexpectedly. Two expla- 
nations are necessary before I proceed with the 
narrative. There was an able seaman in the 
other watch, more intelligent than the average 
English sailor. His vessel had been wrecked 
on the Pacific coast, and he had shipped with 
us in order to return to England and sail in his 

77 



The Story of a Strange Career 

former employer's service again. From him I 
learned some facts in regard to English marine 
law. English sailors always carry large jack- 
knives, a shackle at the butt end, to which is 
fastened a lanyard, the latter going around the 
neck. The knife, when not in use, is stuck in 
the waistband of the trousers. With Ameri- 
can sailors, a long knife, carried in a sheath 
and strapped around the waist, is the fashion. 
It is a very necessary and useful article on 
shipboard, used in cutting food — there are no 
forks — scraping masts, repairing rigging, and 
so forth. It is always ready for instant use in 
case of danger or accident. After dinner we had 
plenty of work to do. Towards evening extra 
lines from the bow and stem were run ashore 
and fastened to large rocks. Old canvas was cut 
in narrow strips and wound around the ropes 
in every place where they were liable to chafe 
on the sharp stones on the beach. "We were 
still at that work at nine o'clock, with no sign 
of supper yet. I made up my mind to quit 
work, and had just got on deck when I heard 
the first mate and Jimmy talking rather loudly 

78 



The Flying Dutchman 

by the cabin door. Too mucli work and noth- 
ing to eat was the cause of the row. My chum 
was mad all over. Suddenly the mate caught 
him by each wrist and gave his arms a quick, 
downward jerk. It was an old trick, and very 
painful to a person whose arms were hanging 
down loosely. In an instant Jimmy had his 
knife open and made a lunge for the mate. 
The lanyard prevented the free action of the 
knife, but the blade had scratched the skin on 
the mate's throat and made a long cut in the 
neck of his tight-fitting, heavy knit under- 
shirt. The mate began to run and yell "Mur- 
der!" Around the deck he sprinted, with 
my chum after him. Every few steps Jimmy 
would make a dig at him with the knife, only 
to receive himseK a jerk in the back of the 
neck from the lanyard. There was an old box 
on the main hatch. Without being noticed by 
any of us, our old enemy — the red-headed cook 
— was standing on it, with an iron bolt in his 
hand. The mate took in the situation, though, 
and, on the last lap, he crossed the deck at the 
main hatch. As Jimmy came along, the cook 

79 



The Story of a Strange Career 

hit Mm a whack on the head with the piece of 
iron that laid my poor friend on the deck hors 
de comhat The cook had no time to gloat over 
his victory. He was howling out, ^'Wurrah, 
wurrah ! " and made remarkably quick time 
for the cabin, landing below without his feet 
touching the stairs. A sailor was after him 
with a sheath-knife minus the lanyard attach- 
ment. Our disabled shipmate was carried for- 
ward and laid on deck. Having no fine Turkish 
sponges or decorated wash-bowls, we could not 
dress his head according to modern style. We 
did the best we could, however, which was to 
lower a bucket over the vessel's side and fill it 
vdth dirty sea water. His head received several 
good bathings. The treatment was liberal and 
heroic, the contents of a full bucket being 
dumped on him at a time. It helped to re- 
vive him and to wash off the blood, simultane- 
ously. 

At last success rewarded our efforts. The 
patient sat up. When he had got the salt 
water out of his mouth, he wanted to know 

" what in we were trying to do with him ? " 

80 



The Flying Dutchman 

It being nearly ten o'clock, all hands concluded 
to have supper. The cook was afraid to come 
on deck, so we went to the galley and took all 
the food in sight. It was carried into the fore- 
castle. The chandelier — a tin cup full of grease 
with a rag for a wick — was trimmed and lighted. 
Our frugal repast was interrupted by the cap- 
tain's sticking his head down the scuttle and 
inquiring if Jimmy wanted a bandage and 
salve for his head. Jimmy very curtly told him 

to " Go to ." The captain was desirous that 

the crew should desert and forfeit the money 
due to them, for he could get other men for 
one third of the amount we were getting. Nine 
dollars a month for ordinary, and eleven dol- 
lars a month for able seamen was the rate in 
Rio ; while our pay from Callao was twenty-five 
dollars and thirty -five dollars per month. My 
chum and I had about forty dollars due to 
each of us, and I intended to get it if possible. 
The rest of the men wanted to remain on the 
vessel on account of the big wages, and the 
hardest part of the voyage being over. Imme- 
diately after breakfast the next morning Jimmy 

81 



The Story of a Strange Career 

and I went aft and called for the captain. We 
requested permission to see the English consul, 
but received an evasive answer. It was to be a 
game of bluff beyond all doubt, so my recently 
acquired knowledge of marine law was to be 
tested. I stated plainly to the captain that sea- 
men were allowed by law to see the consul " if 
they had any complaints to make." We de- 
manded to be at once taken to the consul's 
office, as we were not satisfied with our food 
and treatment, and wished for an investigation. 
We said that he would have trouble if he refused 
to comply with the law. Very reluctantly, he 
told us to get into the ship's boat, and we rowed 
over to the city. On landing, he gave directions 
to the consul's office, where, on arriving, we 
found that the captain had taken a short cut 
and got there ahead of us. Consequently the 
consul gave us a very cool reception and asked 
us what we wanted of him. He got a brief 
synopsis of the trip around the Cape to com- 
mence with, then a description of the food, next 
of the short allowance of water; and last, we 
charged the captain with ignoring the law in 

82 



The Flying Dutchman 

regard to giving each man the legal allowance 
of lime-juice a day.* 

The captain had considerable to say, him- 
self. At last the consul refused to discharge 
us. We were informed that we should have 
better food for the future. The captain smiled 
with satisfaction, for a short time only. All 
was not over yet. My last card was to be 
played and it won. " Well, Consul, this man 
and I do not propose to go back to the cap- 
tain's old tub. We volunteer for Her Majesty's 
service ! " 

The consul laughed, and informed the 
captain that he would be expected at the 
office at two o'clock in the afternoon with our 
discharges and the money which was due us. 

What clothing we had was badly rotted by 
the effect of salt water and guano; therefore 
we had no reason to return to the Grenfalls 
for our old rags. Out of the office we went 
in high glee. The first sailor I met on the 

* Years ago canned vegetables and fruit were unknown at sea ; 
for that reason lime-juice was served to the men daily, as a 
preventive of scurvy. English vessels were nicknamed " lime- 
juicers" on that account. 

7 83 



The Story of a Strange Career 

street gave us directions to a sailors' boarding- 
house. Portuguese Joe was tlie landlord's 
title. No time was lost in makino; his ac- 
quaintance. The mere fact that we were two 
sailors to be paid off that day was sufficient 
recommendation. 



84 



CHAPTEK yil 



IN HER majesty's SERVICE 



No money in advance, nor baggage as se- 
curity for our board, was required. Nothing 
in tlie house was too good for us; we could 
have anything we wanted, and, oh, how glad 
the other boarders were to see us ! I almost 
felt at that time as if I had met about 
twenty long-lost brothers. All that affection 
cost Jimmy and me several rounds of drink 
for the "house." That afternoon we went to 
the consulate and received our discharges and 
pay. The money was in Brazilian currency, 
and, together, our money amounted to a hun- 
dred and fifty-five thousand reis — twenty reis 
equal to a cent of United States money. Book- 
keeping in that country requires the use of a 
large number of figures. 

Our first venture was to get new suits of 
85 



The Story of a Strange Career 

clotlies and enjoy tlie luxury of a mucli-needed 
fresli- water bath, wlien "Richard was himself 
again." What a change in our mode of living ! 
Fruit of all kinds to be had for almost nothing ; 
comfortable beds to sleep in ; fresh food and 
vegetables to eat. The only thing I objected 
to was that we had too many newly found 
friends. I was strictly temperate at that time. 
Jimmy made me his banker, with the condition 
that I should give him money only in small 
amounts. 

Brazil is a very large country, and at that 
time was the only empire in South America. 
Dom Pedro III was emperor. His palace was 
close to the city of Rio. I saw him several 
times, as he frequently rode through the city 
in his carriage, always escorted by his body- 
guard of thii*ty cavalrymen. He was a very 
fine-looking young man with fair complexion. 
No doubt he was the most progressive ruler 
Brazil ever had. Now he is dead and Brazil is 
a Republic. Rio de Janeiro is the capital, and 
a most beautiful city it is. Viewing it from the 
bay in the night-time, it resembles the dress- 

86 



In Her Majesty's Service 

circle in an immensely large theatre, the street- 
lights forming the rows of seats. The lan- 
guage is Portuguese, much similar to Spanish. 
I had very little difficulty in making myself 
understood when conversing with the natives. 
There was not a sewer in the city. Large tubs 
about three feet high, eighteen inches in di- 
ameter, were used in the houses for all refuse 
and waste material, and, when filled, they 
were carried on the heads of slaves at night- 
time and emptied into the bay. A large 
building at the water's edge was the public 
dumping ground. The slaves were nearly all 
genuine Africans, naked to the waist, the 
breast and face tattooed in different designs, by 
scarring the skin with a knife. 

When one of those fellows came down the 
street on a dog- trot, singing " Hoo ! hoo ! hoo ! 
hoo ! " I would get out of his way quickly. It 
was a wonder to me how they could balance 
those -heavy tubs on their heads and keep 
swinging their arms at the same time. 

The native liquor is cashass, distilled from 
sugar-cane. Take equal parts of pure alcohol 

87 



The Story of a Strange Career 

and water, put in a very liberal quantity of 
creosote, and you will have a good sample of 
cashass — flavour, smell, and strength will be 
the same as the genuine article. One evening, 
on returning to the boarding-house, there was 
quite an excitement in the dining-room. My 
friend Jimmy was laid out on the table, with 
three men holding him down ; he was in 
spasms and frothing at the mouth. My im- 
pression was that he had been poisoned. 
After a while he quieted down and went to 
sleep. The next morning he confidentially re- 
marked to me that he had no more use for any 
of " that cashass." My reason for describ- 
ing the liquor is to give an idea of its strength. 
Once, when I was on an English man-of-war, 
it was probably the cause of a friend's being 
drowned and of getting me into a serious scrape. 
I would frequently take a stroll down to 
the military dock where the boat from the 
man-of-war landed. It was interestino- to ob- 
serve the peculiarities of the different nation- 
alities. The Americans were the most intelli- 
gent, very neat in appearance, their clothing of 



In Her Majesty's Service 

fine material and well made, dark blue flannel 
shirts embroidered with black silk, a white silk 
star on each corner of the wide collars, a silk 
ribbon with the name of the ship in gilt letters 
on the sailor hats. When their boats landed 
the officers would get out, then the boat's crew, 
with the exception of one man, going where 
they pleased, returning after a time, and pull- 
ing off to their ship. Next were the English- 
men. Their clothes fitted awkwardly. In ap- 
pearance they were not so bright and cheerful. 
No going ashore for them ! A midshipman 
was always in charge of the boat, every man 
being required to remain in his seat. The 
Italians, Spanish, French, and Brazilians were 
a dirty, barefooted lot, probably not one in ten 
being able to read or write. The English 
always had difficulty in getting men for the 
navy. Low wages, flogging with the cat-o'- 
nine-tails, and no chance for promotion, were 
the chief reasons. A law was passed allowing 
any seaman in the British merchant service to 
volunteer in any part of the world for Her 
Majesty's service. That was the reason why I 

89 



The Story of a Strange Career 

got my discharge from the Grenfalls. I re- 
mained at Portuguese Joe's for two weeks, my 
money being spent in sight-seeing. Then I 
went on board Her Majesty's frigate Mada- 
gascar and shipped for ^ve years as an ordi- 
nary seaman. My pay was one pound sixteen 
shillings — about nine dollars — a month. 

I had to retain the name of Mike Murray 
on account of the discharge from the last ship. 
Cloth was furnished to me — flannel and other 
articles — for clothing, everything being charged 
to me excepting hammock and bag. With the 
assistance of the other sailors, I soon had cloth- 
ing made and became a full-fledged man-of- 
war's-man. The Madagascar was a very large 
frigate with two tiers of guns, and had been 
stationed at Rio for a number of years Avith- 
out leaving the harbour. The admiral of the 
South Atlantic station made her the flag-ship 
of the fleet. Only about one third of the full 
complement of men was on board, and, conse- 
quently, we had no drilling at the big guns or 
making and furling sails. But we had " holy- 
stoning " decks enough to make up for it. At 

90 



In Her Majesty's Service 

four o'clock every morning we were routed 
out of hammocks to wask decks. Sand and a 
little water would be sprinkled on the deck, 
each man would have a piece of flat sandstone, 
and then, on our knees, we would do some 
mighty hard scouring, hence the name of 
"holystoning." Afterwards, with the use of 
plenty of water, the sand and dirt would be 
washed off. Then, with swabs, the deck 
would be dried and afterwards swept with 
brooms. By that time it would be seven 
o'clock, and then we had breakfast. 

Jimmy came on board and shipped a few 
days after myself. We both belonged to the 
same mess. He had a picnic, as I gave him my 
share of grog to drink. Each mess was com- 
posed of fourteen men, each man in turn being 
cook of the mess for one day. His work was 
to set the table, draw rations, and bring the 
food from the galley. At twelve-thirty he 
would take a bucket and get the grog. The 
grog was one half gill of Jamaica rum and three 
half gills of water, mixed, making one half pint. 
Each mess had a measure holding a little less 

91 



The Story of a Strange Career 

than tliat quantity. The cook would give each 
man his allowance, and the difference in the meas- 
ures after fourteen men had been served would 
be considerable ; that would be the cook's per- 
quisite. Orders had been given to refit the 
Madagascar with entirely new rigging. The 
Brazilian Government had given permission to 
use one of their ship-houses to work in. Every 
day a gang of us were taken ashore to fit up 
the standing rigging. We were at that work 
for two months. The experience and knowl- 
edge I acquired in that brief time made me a 
good sailor. The English Government had the 
lease of a small island in the harbour on which 
were erected a number of buildings containing 
supplies for the navy. As we returned to the 
ship at night, our boat would stop there and 
bring off the paymaster. One evening we had 
to wait for him. As was the English custom, 
the boat was rowed a few hundred yards from 
the dock, then "Peak oars!" was the order, 
each man holding his oar straight up, the 
handle resting on the bottom of the boat, the 
blade in the air. It was the second cutter with 

92 



In Her Majesty's Service 

fourteen oars, two men on eacli seat, quite a 
fine siglit, but very tedious for tlie men. We 
had a sudden change from the sublime to the 
ridiculous that time. Two of the crew had got 
into an argument. One of them, getting ex- 
cited, emphasized his remarks by lifting his oar 
and bringing it down on the bottom of the boat. 
That ended the debate abruptly. The boat, 
being old and rotten, could not stand such 
treatment. The force of the blow knocked a 
big hole in the bottom. In a few seconds all 
hands were in the water, men and oars badly 
mixed up. Those of us who could swim struck 
out for dry land, the remainder saving them- 
selves by clinging to the wreck. 

We had very little work to do after the old 
frigate was newly rigged. I would look out of 
the gun-ports and watch the shipping in the 
harbour. One day the United States brig 
Perry came in from a cruise on the African 
coast and anchored close to us. She w^as a 
beautiful vessel. All the crew appeared to be 
happy and contented. They were a fine, active 
lot of men. I should have liked to exchange 

93 



The Story of a Strange Career 

places mth any of them. Finally they went 
on another cruise in quest of slavers. The next 
time I saw the Perry was in Boston during the 
war, and I was then one of her officers, in a 
position I little dreamed of holding when I 
watched her leaving the harbour of Rio de 
Janeiro. 

I soon became discontented and homesick 
on the old frigate. My messmates, knowing 
me to be a " blawsted Yankee," as they called 
me, made me ill-natured. I usually returned 
what they gave. After several fights they let 
me alone, but I was punished by being put on 
the black-list for fighting. That meant being 
kept at work all day long cleaning brass- work, 
etc. At dinner hour I would be on the quarter- 
deck with my bowl of grog, an extra half pint 
of water being introduced, and I then re- 
ceived a spoon with holes in it with which to 
sup the grog. With my cap under my arm, 
I would be ordered to drink Her Majesty's 
health. It was a tedious job sipping that in- 
fernal stuff out of the bowl with the spoon. It 
would run out as fast as I dipped it up. Some- 

94 



In Her Majesty's Service 

times there would be ten or twelve men under- 
going the same punishment. In the evening I 
would have to stand one hour on the quarter- 
deck, toeing one of the seams. Poor Jimmy- 
got into a scrape, so I had him drinking Her 
Majesty's health with me. This was also the 
case with a half-breed American Indian from 
Massachusetts, and a greenhorn from England, 
and a very troublesome quartette we proved 
to be. That night all four of us deserted. 
The first lieutenant had his gig condemned 
and got a new one to replace it. While we 
were doing the seam-toeing act he came on 
deck and ordered us to get into the new gig 
and pull around the ship, so that he could see 
how it set in the water. A conversation be- 
tween us while rowing made it plain that all 
were anxious to run away. We went on the 
gun deck and had a quiet talk. Everything 
was arranged for going ashore. The boat could 
not be hoisted up, as there were no spare davits 
for it. That Just suited us. 

At bedtime we got into our hammocks with 
our clothes on, and about three o'clock we got 

95 



The Story of a Strange Career 

our bags containing all our clothing and took 
them on the gun deck. Matt, the half-breed, 
got into the boat from the gun ports and hauled 
it around to the bow port. The bags were then 
handed down. Jimmy had gone back for some- 
thing and we were waiting for him. At last 
he came and handed me a pocket-book. All of 
us got into the boat, and away we went. No 
one had seen us leaving. There w^ere three 
decks in that frigate, the spar, the gun, and the 
lower or berth deck. The crew swung their 
hammocks on the latter. What few officers 
and men there were on duty at night would be 
on the spar deck, so there was no one on the 
gun deck to bother us, and all below were 
asleep. Had there been a full crew, arrange- 
ments would have been different and our plan 
frustrated. When we got into the city. Matt 
and the greenhorn went ashore. Jimmy and 
I concluded to take a trip up the bay. By 
seven o'clock we w^ere quite a distance from 
the city. The boat w^as run ashore and our 
bags were taken out. The dry land was good 
enou2:h for us. Somethino^ to eat was next in 

96 



In Her Majesty's Service 

order. Tlie pocket-book was then examined 
and found to contain eighty thousand reis, 
Brazilian money — ^forty dollars. Then Jimmy 
explained how he got it. A new man slept 
next to my worthy chum, and every night he 
would place his pocket-book between the mat- 
tress and the canvas hammock, and lie on the 
whole affair himself, feeling secure against all 
loss. Just where the pocket-book lay there was 
a lump bulging out in the canvas, so Jim cut a 
slit in the right place and the booty was his. 

A short distance from the landing-place were 
a number of slaughter-houses, and the butchers 
were very much surprised to see two man-of- 
war's-men with their baggage in their neighbour- 
hood. One of their number could speak Span- 
ish, so a friendly conversation took place which 
ended in their purchasing our clothes — bags 
and all. We received a fair price, both parties 
being satisfied with the bargain. After eating 
a good breakfast in one of their houses, we bade 
our new acquaintances good-bye. With plenty 
of money in our pockets, and on shore, every- 
thing seemed quite pleasant. Our plans were 

97 



The Story of a Strange Career 

soon agreed upon — to take a walking tour to the 
sou til, have a view of the country, get to the 
seaport of St. Catharines, and ship on some ves- 
sel for the United States. It was necessary to 
make a detour of the city to get on our right 
road. After awhile we met a market-woman 
with fruit and bought enough for our dinner. 
Sitting under a tree, we enjoyed our picnic very 
much. All our money was then counted ; there 
proved to be one hundred and seventy thousand 
reis altogether. A fourteen-thousand-reis bill 
I put inside the lining of my hat, the balance in 
my pocket. During the rest, Jim proposed 
going into the city to make some purchases for 
our journey. We went — and that was a grand 
mistake. When we passed the Hamburg House, 
kept by a Dutchman, we were reminded that we 
were thirsty, so we went in and sat down at a 
table and ordered a bottle of English ale. Just 
then I noticed a young fellow go out of the door. 
After awhile I asked about the ale — why they 
did not bring it ? They replied that they had 
to send out for it. Shortly afterwards the Eng- 
lish consul's " runner " came in with two vigi- 

98 



In Her Majesty's Service 

lantes and, pointing to us, said, " Esas dos " — 
'' Those two." That settled it ! We had been 
"given away" for the reward, three pounds 
sterling — about fifteen dollars each — being the 
amount for apprehension of deserters from Her 
Majesty's service, and off to the calaboose we 
were marched. About twelve hours' liberty on 
shore was all we had enjoyed. We were taken 
into the office and searched, and the money was 
taken out of my pocket and carefully counted. 
They gave me a receipt for it. Very greatly to 
their disgust, no big bank roll was found on my 
chum. I never saw a cent of that money again. 
Our loss was somebody's gain that time, sure 
enough. We were put into a cell with about 
fifteen other prisoners, among them two sailors, 
deserters, from the English sloop-of-war Silken. 
From them we found out the rules of our new 
quarters. No food was furnished to prisoners 
— either to buy it, or have friends bring it, was 
the custom. As they had been locked up for 
two days without food, they had a yearning for 
something to eat. I called the turnkey and 
made him understand in Spanish that I wanted 
8 99 

LofC. 



The Story of a Strange Career 

coffee and rolls for four. In Portuguese lie 
made me understand that money would have to 
be furnished first. I showed the receipt for 
money in the office, but that would not do, so I 
took the fourteen-thousand-reis bill out of my 
cap and handed it to him. He gave a queer, as- 
tonished look and then a sickly smile, but we 
got the coffee and rolls, however. That little 
luncheon cost me just two thousand reis. I 
considered myself lucky to get the change back. 
They got nearly all of it, though, the next day. 
Finally, we four deserters were taken outside 
the city limits and, much to our surprise, landed 
in the penitentiary. Not having committed any 
crime against the country, or having had a trial, 
we found ourselves convicts " doing time " for 
nothing. 



100 



CHAPTEE YIII 



THE CAT-O'-NINE-TAILS 



No red tape was wasted upon us. The 
formalities were few. Being taken into a small 
building, we took off all our clothing, which 
was tied in bundles with our names on them ; 
then, after we had each received a pair of blue 
overalls and a blue shirt, the change was com- 
plete. Barefooted and bareheaded, we were 
marched to the cell houses and locked up. 
Food was scarce the first day. We had nothing 
to eat, as no rations had been issued for us. 
The second day only one meal was provided, a 
small one at that. The third day, however, we 
would get all the law allowed. My appetite 
was getting quite keen about this time. When 
the prospect of getting something to eat looked 
promising, they found out that a slight mistake 
had been made in our case. 

101 



The Story of a Strange Career 

The Englisli consul had leased a small 
building on the premises as a lock-up for Brit- 
ish sailors who got into trouble or refused to do 
duty on their respective ships. When the ves- 
sels were ready for sea, the sailors would be put 
on board and all the expenses deducted from 
their wages. So we were dressed up again and 
marched over to the consul's pen. The same 
trouble about the food occurred there. If they 
had made just one more mistake we certainly 
should have starved to death. In a few days 
we were marched to the consulate and then re- 
turned to the Madagascar. Our experience on 
shore had been a novelty but not entirely a 
pleasant one. A warm reception was given us 
on the frigate — twenty-eight days each of soli- 
tary confinement on bread and water, twenty- 
one days on the black-list and lying in irons from 
sunset until sunrise. The value of the lost boat 
and all expenses, including the reward, was to 
be deducted from our wages, and, besides, we 
would have to pay for a new outfit of clothing. 
At nine dollars a month, it would be some 
time before our accounts would be squared up. 

102 



The Cat-o'-Nine-Tails 

Jim and I swore point-blank that we knew 
nothing about the boat, and they never got it 
back. Somebody was ahead a new boat, any- 
how. I never paid my share of the loss, either. 
Matt, the half-breed, was caught in a coffee- 
saloon before ten o'clock of the same morning 
and at once taken back to the ship. On our 
arrival he was doing " solitary." The green- 
horn was the only one of the party to get away. 
Aft, on the lower or third deck, was the mid- 
shipmen's and clerks' mess-room, on one side of 
the deck. Abaft that was a bulkhead or par- 
tition which left a space to the stern that was 
used as a store-room for the admiral's and cap- 
tain's supplies. In there was also a room used 
as the "solitary." Forward of the partition was 
where the prisoners were kept in irons. Iron 
bars ten feet in length, a knot on one end, a 
padlock on the other, and a big lot of shackles 
completed the outfit. The men would sit on 
deck in a row, each one placing a shackle on 
each ankle. The first man would run the end 
of the bar through the eyes of his shackle and 
then the next would do the same, the padlock 

103 



The Story of a Strange Career 

was fastened, and we would be secure for tlie 
night. Tlie bar lay underneatli, resting on 
deck. Walking or standing was impossible. 
The midshipmen and clerks swung their ham- 
mocks above us. Once in a while we would 
rap on the partition and, through the crack, 
would inquire about Matt's health and comfort, 
" If the hardtack and water agreed with him, 
and how would he like a nice beefsteak ? " As 
Matt was in the "solitary," Jim and I had 
to wait for our turn. So we were doing the 
black-list and iron punishment together. About 
the time my black-list was half over I got into 
more trouble. 

The captain lived on shore, near the Sugar 
Loaf. His boat had left the ship and some 
article which he wanted had been forgotten. 
Such a dereliction was simply terrible. The 
captain of a man-of-war in those days was a 
trifle more despotic than the Czar of Russia. A 
cutter with fourteen oars was " called away " in 
a hurry to rectify the mistake, but a man was 
short for the crew. The lieutenant gave orders 
for some one to get into the boat. Just then I 

104 



The Cat-o'-Nine-Tails 

was working by the companion-way — the lad- 
der on ship's side. Mucli to my surprise, I was 
told to be more active in obeying orders and to 
get into the cutter. I did so. My being a 
prisoner at the time seemed not to have been 
taken into consideration. It was quite a dis- 
tance to shore down the bay. The man next 
me on the thwart gave me a nudge and said, 
" Mike, my mon, show 'em your 'eels on shore." 
The others near me also had something to say, 
much to my annoyance, as I did not want any 
one to suspect what my intentions were. "We 
landed soon after the captain's boat did. There 
being no midshipman in the cutter, we all 
stepped on shore. One of the men spoke to 
the coxswain in a low tone, and I was ordered 
back into the cutter. I refused and stated that 
I was going to a saloon for a drink. I walked 
away rather^ quickly. Looking back, I saw that 
all the men excepting one were running after 
me. Then I ran as fast as possible towards a 
steep rocky hill. I was gaining on them rap- 
idly. Some perpendicular rocks prevented my 
going farther in that direction. Then I turned 

105 



The Story of a Strange Career 

around, intending to run down the hill and 
break through the crowd for another race. Just 
as I got near them, I stumbled, falling on my 
face and rolling o\^er into a hole full of muddy- 
water. I was badly hurt and my nose was 
bleeding freely. They took me to the cutter 
and pulled off to the frigate. 

On our arrival all had to go on deck and 
stand in a line toeing a seam, to be searched for 
smuggled liquor by the ship's corporal, the lieu- 
tenant looking on. Then the coxswain re- 
ported me for attempting to run away. The 
lieutenant saw that I was covered with mud 
and blood. He asked me if the report was 
true. I answered "Yes," and told him that 
the whole boat's crew were a dirty lot of curs 
for bringing me back after inducing me to run. 
The lieutenant looked at them all slowly, and 
then at me. With a contemptuous sneer, he said, 
" Thank you, men," and sent them forward, at 
the same time ordering me to be put in irons. 
The ship's corporal led me away below, at the 
same time growling about the trouble he was 
having on my account. About half an hour 

106 



The Cat-o'-Nine-Tails 

afterward my old friend, the corporal, made his 
appearance. He released me from irons and 
escorted me on deck. The lieutenant asked me 
if I was badly hurt, and all particulars in re- 
gard to my running away. Much to my sur- 
prise, he told me to resume my work, that he 
was to blame in a measure himself, as he had 
no right to allow a prisoner to leave the ship. 

My first business was to see the coxswain 
and some of the boat's crew and give them a 
good plain cursing. In a few days afterward, 
Matt's time in the "solitary" expired and I was 
locked up in his place. One half pound of hard- 
tack per day and one quart of water was my 
allowance. Nothing very interesting occurred 
during the time, excepting once when the cap- 
tain's steward came into the store-room one day 
for some wine. He spoke to me through the 
small iron-barred window which was in the par- 
tition on the store-room side. He told me to 
get my tin cup and hold it up to the bars. 
With a piece of paper he made a funnel and 
filled my cup full of good sherry wine. Crackers 
and raisins were also given me, so I had a high old 

107 



The Story of a Strange Career 

time all to myself that day. The twenty-eight 
days expired and all my punishment was over. 
Jimmy relieved me, and when he went into the 
door it was the last time we ever saw each 
other. After all the hard times and many 
scrapes we had got into together, we parted 
without a chance to shake hands. I never 
heard of him afterward. Twice while in Liver- 
pool, England, I went to his address, 17 Lower 
Frederick Street, but no one knew anything 
about him. 

Matt, the half-breed, and I got to be 
friendly and both of us were determined to 
get away from the frigate. Our only chance 
was to swim ashore, we not being trusted in 
any of the boats. It was necessary to wait 
for a night when there would be no moon and 
a flood-tide running in from the sea. In the 
meantime, to avert suspicion, I started making 
my new clothing. The blue cloth for my best 
trousers at Government prices was one pound 
sterling. That I had smuggled from the ship 
and on shore, to be sold. I was to receive half 
of what it would sell for. In a few days I 

108 



The Cat-o'-Nine-Tails 

received ^ve milreis and a long skin of 
casliass. The cashass is put in skins such as are 
used for bologna sausage. In that form it can 
easily be secreted about a sailor's clothing and 
smuggled on board. The cash ass I gave to 
Matt for safe-keeping, as we should need a 
good drink before taking our long swim. The 
^ye milreis in silver I put in a small bag 
hanging round my neck. Every night we 
would sneak np to the gun deck. The pros- 
pects not being favourable, we would post- 
pone our trip. One night while I was awake, 
'the ship's corporal came to my hammock 
with a lantern in his hands. He took a look 
at me and then went away. I knew then 
that our plan to go was known. After that I 
remained in my hammock and let Matt do 
the prospecting. Finally, one morning, we con- 
cluded to make the attempt that night. Dur- 
ing the day I had my bag from the rack to do 
some sewing, and Matt came to me with a blue 
flannel shirt and asked me to put it in my bag 
for a while, which, unfortunately, I did. That 
night the corporal came to my hammock twice 

109 



The Story of a Strange Career 

before midniglit ; then I dozed off to sleep and 
was awakened by some one feeling my face. 
It was Matt. He was quite drunk and insisted 
upon my taking a drink from tke skin. He 
said be was then going to the gun deck to get 
a rope ready for getting into the water and 
would return for me when all was ready. That 
was the last I saw of him. I waited for a 
while. The effects of the strong liquor put me 
into a sound sleep. The next thing I knew 
was that the crew were holystoning the gun 
deck. The noise of the stones right over my 
head had awakened me. I put on my clothes 
and tried to sneak in among them unobserved, 
but the attempt was a failure. The boatswain 
saw me. "Hello, Mike, where did you come 
from? I thought you had gone ashore with 
Matt," was the salute I received. 

It seems that when all hands were called, 
we were missed at once. Matt's hammock, be- 
ing the nearest, was examined. He being gone, 
it was concluded that I was with him. I tried 
to play innocent, but it was of no use. After 
breakfast I was ordered before the first lieu- 

110 



The Cat-o'-Nine-Tails 

tenant and reported for not turning out to 
scrub decks, and tlien for aiding and abetting 
desertion. My bag was brought from the rack 
and examined. The blue cloth was missing. 
A stolen shirt, with the owner's name under the 
collar, was found. Matt stole that shirt. It was 
the one he had asked me to keep for him. Con 
duct detrimental to discipline in Her Majesty's 
service was another charge. The lieutenant then 
laid down the law to me in splendid style, and 
ended thus : " Now, Michael Murray, you have 
made considerable trouble on this frigate, and 
I shall see that you get ^four dozen.' Then 
you can desert — that is, if you get the chance. 
Corporal, put him in irons." When the cor- 
poral put the padlock on the bar, he said : 
" Mike, my lad, you're in for it now ! " 

About ^ve days afterward I was taken on 
the quarter-deck again. The lieutenant wanted 
to know who brought the cashass on board to 
Matt and myself. I replied that I knew noth- 
ing about it and that I had never seen Matt 
with the liquor in his possession. Then I was 
told that Matt's body had been found floating 

111 



The Story of a Strange Career 

in the bay. He had on all his clothes excepting 
cap and shoes. Inside of his shirt was found 
the skin containing a small quantity of cash ass. 
He must have been quite drunk or he would 
not have tried to swim such a distance with his 
clothes on ; or it may be that he fell overboard 
and that that was the reason he did not come 
back for me as he promised. 

"Four dozen" on an English man-of-war 
means flogging with the cat-o'-nine-tails. The 
"cat "is a hardwood handle eighteen inches long, 
to one end of which are attached nine pieces of 
hard lines, about one eighth of an inch in di- 
ameter and eighteen inches long. At the end 
of each tail is a hard knot. When punishment 
is to be inflicted the "tails" are soaked in strong 
brine. That makes them hard and heavy. A 
wooden grating from a hatchway is placed on 
end, resting against the bulwarks. All hands 
are called to witness punishment. Everybody 
must be present, from the captain to the pow- 
der boys. The prisoner is stripped naked to 
the waist, his feet are lashed to the bottom of 
the grating, and his arms are stretched out full 

112 



The Cat-o'-Nine-Tails 

length and fastened. The face and breast are 
then close to the grating, with no chance remain- 
ing of moving the body. The ship's surgeon 
watches to see that the prisoner does not die 
while being punished. The boatswain's mate 
is on the left side. He swings the " cat " over 
his head with the right hand, at the same time 
drawing the tails through his left hand. At 
every stroke nine stripes ai*e cut on the pris- 
oner's back, the knots at the same time making 
little holes in the skin, about two seconds 
elapsing between each stroke. After two dozen 
strokes have been given, the boatswain's mate 
steps to the other side of the prisoner and gives 
the remaining two dozen, the skin being cut by 
that means into diamond-shaped pieces. By 
the time the punishment is over the man will 
be covered with blood and greatly exhausted. 

I had been keeping very quiet for the last 
few days in order to avert suspicion. I had 
been examining the old shackles, and found two 
that would release me from the bar at any 
time. One was quite large. By taking off my 
shoe I could squeeze my foot from the bar. 

113 



The Story of a Strange Career 

The other shackle must have been an odd one, 
as it had extra large eyes, and would slip 
nicely over the knob at the end of the bar. I 
laid them on the deck to have them handy, then 
I sent for the corporal to take me to the water- 
closet. When I returned I picked up the 
shackles that I wanted and placed them over 
my ankles. When he had gone I put all the 
other shackles away out of reach so there could 
be no mixing up. My mind rested easy then. 
I was having a chance to go before the flogging, 
instead of after, as the lieutenant proposed. At 
last, the day for my punishment was set. The 
captain had come on board the frigate and my 
conduct was reported. I was brought before 
him and the charges read to me. Orders were 
given to have me flogged with the " Thieves' " 
cat-o'-nine-tails at eio:ht o'clock the next morn- 
ino:. "Four dozen lashes on the bare back." 
The " Thieves' cat " meant two knots in the tail 
instead of one. I was to receive extra punish- 
ment for a crime I never committed, but the 
finding of the shirt in my bag had been suf- 
ficient. 

114 



CHAPTEE IX 

THE ESCAPE 

When the corporal took me below again I 
asked him to let me get some clean clothes 
from my bag. I selected a pair of white duck 
trousers and a white shirt. I wanted the light- 
est suit that I could get. The corporal probably 
thought that I intended dressing neatly for the 
whipping in the morning. I was very partic- 
ular in putting the shackles on my ankles, the 
one with the large eyes going on the left leg, 
so as to be at the knob end of the bar. The 
big one went on the right leg. I could not 
prevent myself from grinning while he was so 
carefully locking the end of the bar. He gave 
the lock an extra pull, to satisfy himself that it 
was fast, and walked off. My hammock, in- 
stead of being lashed up sideways, as custom- 
ary, was merely rolled loosely and left on deck, 
« 115 



The Story of a Strange Career 

so that I could spread it out for sleeping at 
night-time. I made a sort of lounge with it 
and took life easy, for the time being. At nine 
in the evening, the midshipmen and clerks got 
into their hammocks, leaving their clothes on 
top of their sea-chests. I spread out my bed 
and lay down. My position had to be straight 
out, on my back, as the iron bar had to be 
taken into consideration. Soon all but myself 
were asleep. Time passed very slowly. I 
knew the corporal would have a look at me 
about midnight and that then I should be ready 
for my trip. I could tell the time by hearing 
the ship's bell striking every half hour. About 
one in the morning, I was getting very uneasy 
in my mind, as I knew it was about time for 
the tide to change and run out to sea — a very 
serious matter for me. At last my friend made 
his appearance. Everything was secure and 
satisfactory, so he went away. Then I com- 
menced operations. First, I got out of the 
shackles, and taking off all my clothing, tied it 
in a neat, flat bundle. My money and knife I 
left hanging to my neck. Next I gathered up 

116 



The Escape 

some clothing belonging to tlie midshipmen and 
laid it on my bed. Two pairs of sboes went 
next. One pair was stuck in tbe shackles, the 
other pair was stuck, heels downward, into the 
first pair. Then two caps were stuck together 
for a head. The whole, being covered over 
with my blanket, made a very good dummy. I 
was highly pleased with my midnight work. 
The toes, sticking straight up, gave a very 
artistic effect to the job. Taking my hammock 
lashing and bundle, I went to the midshipmen's 
messroom. 

With a stool to stand on, I took a view of 
the harbour from the small port-hole — about 
twenty inches square. These holes are open 
in harbour only for ventilation and light on the 
lower deck. At sea they must be kept closed 
and lashed securely. As I expected, the tide 
was ebbing out to sea. The ship had swung 
around " head on " to the city. I had no choice 
but to go, however. Fastening my clothes to 
the end of the lashing, I lowered them about 
eight feet, not intending to get them wet. Se- 
curing the lashing to an eyebolt, inward, I got 

117 



The Story of a Strange Career 

out of tlie port-liole and let myself down into 
the water. The clothes had been dropped too 
low and got wet. That made them too heavy 
to fasten on the top of my head as I had in- 
tended. I released the bundle from the lashing, 
keeping it in my left hand, and then I drifted 
past the frigate's stern with the tide. In a few 
minutes I commenced swimming at an angle 
from the frigate, and then headed for the city. 
After a long swim I began to get tired and was 
breathing hard from exertion. The bundle 
worried me, and the now swift tide became too 
much to contend with. I had got only a short 
distance past the frigate, and was convinced that 
I could not reach the city. Then I turned 
back, repassed the frigate, and headed for the 
southern shore. The tide, at the same time, 
carried me towards the entrance of the harbour. 
I was in hopes of getting to land before I 
should be carried past the Sugar Loaf. As a 
last recourse I could let the clothing go, and 
that I would not do until it became a necessity. 
As I was swimming at an angle with the tide, 
not so much exertion was needed. Much to 

118 



The Escape 

my relief I saw the dim outline of a vessel to 
my left. I then swam with the tide, and in a 
few minutes I was holding on the anchor-chain. 
I had a good rest and, at the same time, thought 
what was best for me to do. I could easily 
get on board at the bow, but if it were an 
English vessel my name would be "Dennis," 
sure enough. I proposed to take no more 
chances than necessary that night. Finally I 
let go of the chain and drifted to the stern. 
There I found the vessel's boat in the water. 
I got the bundle into the boat and climbed in 
myself. 

The first thing I did was to read the vessel's 
name. I was then satisfied that she was a 
Brazilian coaster. I wrung the water from my 
clothes and was soon dressed up. There were 
no oars in the boat ; if there had been I would 
have cut the painter and sculled with a single 
oar for the western shore. When I felt strong 
enough, I climbed up the painter to the taffrail 
and got on deck. No one was to be seen, so I 
commenced an investigation. She was a brig. 
On each side of the quarter-deck was a cubby- 

119 



The Story of a Strange Career 

hole — a small white house with sliding-doors, 
just large enough for a man to sleep in. The 
starboard one was empty, so I knew the captain 
was on shore. In the port side was the mate, 
asleep. The cool night wind blowing on 
my clothes made me quite chilly. Not hav- 
ing decided exactly what to do, I was stand- 
ing by the wheel making up my mind. A crisis 
was at hand. The mate crawled out of his 
hole, about half awake, rubbing his eyes. He 
caught a glimpse of me, all dressed in white, 
standing close to the wheel. Before I could 
say a Avord he gave a terrible yell ; then he 
stuttered out, " Por Dios, que es esta ? " — " For 
God's sake, what is that ? " Staggering back a 
few steps, he turned around and ran forward, 
disappearing down the forecastle scuttle. Then 
I went to the taffrail and got the boat's painter 
ready for being cast off in an instant ; taking 
my knife from my neck, I opened it and fast- 
ened the lanyard around my right wrist. If 
there was to be a hostile reception, I intended 
to cast the boat loose and jump overboard. 
With the wind and strong tide, I would land 

120 



The Escape 

somewhere, even if I had no oars. So I waited 
for developments. In a few minutes five men 
came out of the forecastle. They came aft in 
single file, the cook at the head with a lighted 
candle in his hand, the mate bringing up the 
rear. Then, in spite of myself, I had to laugh. 
It was the only time in my life at sea that I 
ever saw a candle on ship's deck. There are 
two articles which an old-time salt-water sailor 
has the most supreme contempt for — namely, a 
lantern and an umbrella. When they got close 
to me they were a surprised lot of men. By 
way of introduction, I said, " Yo soy un saltador 
Ingles" — "I am an English deserter." They 
all commenced to laugh at the mate. We soon 
became quite friendly, all hands considering the 
whole affair as a good joke. Opening the cabin 
skylight, they told me to get in and have a good 
sleep. The vessel was loaded with mahogany 
timber. The cabin bulkheads had been taken 
out and the lumber loaded through the stern 
ports, completely filling the brig from stem to 
stem. The extra sails were put in the skylight 
on top of the cargo. That was my bed, and a 

121 



The Story of a Strange Career 

good sleep I had, even if my clothes were 
wet. 

About seven o'clock they woke me and gave 
me a breakfast. I exchanged all my neat 
clothes with them, I getting a ragged blue 
jumper and overalls and a ship hat with the 
rim all frayed out. My shoes, stockings, and 
knife I retained for my own use. The boat had 
been hauled alongside and loaded with firewood 
to be taken ashore. When ready I got into it, 
and, taking an oar, helped row for shore. The 
mate gave me a friendly parting and wished me 
success. I thanked him, and said : " Cuidado 
por los brujos ! " — " Look out for ghosts ! " When 
close to shore I asked to be landed on the beach, 
as it would not do for me to go near the Govern- 
ment dock. They pulled close to a ledge of rocks 
and I jumped out and thanked them for their 
kindness. Away I went for the railroad track. 

Having heard that English contractors were 
building a new branch, it was my intention to 
offer them my valuable services. I started 
dovm the track quite lively and independent. 
The sun became very warm and my feet sore. 

122 



The Escape 

Then I got tired of continually looking at the 
telegraph-poles, each one being numbered, like 
houses in a city. What the reason for that 
was I never found out. Every station I came 
to I was ordered off the track, but the expla- 
nation that I was to work on the road was 
satisfactory. To my inquiries as to how far 
the new road was situated, the answer was 
always the same, "A few leagues farther." 
My ^ve milreis now came into requisition. 
Some time in the afternoon I went into a gen- 
eral store and purchased a glass of wine, some 
crackers and cheese. After my feast was over, 
I continued my journey. Soon I had come 
among the coffee plantations. They looked 
like large cherry orchards with the trees full of 
ripe fruit. Two coffee grains flat side together, 
surrounded by a spongy fibre, then a tough, 
smooth skin, the whole about the size of a large 
cherry — that is the coffee bean while on the tree. 
I do not know how many miles I walked 
on the Terro Carril de Dom Pedro III, but I 
was well tired out, and my head dizzy, from 
looking at the numbers on the telegraph-poles. 

123 



The Story of a Strange Career 

The same information — "A few leagues farther 
on " — was becoming monotonous. Four milreis 
had been expended for food. With but one 
milreis left I was getting discouraged. Sud- 
denly I changed my mind, and turned back for 
Eio de Janeiro. At the first station I was 
ordered off the track. Then I had to walk on 
the wagon road. One evening, about dusk, I 
arrived at the city, tired, hungry, and footsore. 
Two " dumps " — large copper coins worth forty 
reis each — was the last of my money. I invest- 
ed one dump for a piece of cocoanut, the other 
for bread. That was the last food I ever ate 
on Brazilian soil. I had often heard sailors 
joking about "Mahogany Hotel-on-the-Beach," 
and there I went for a night's lodging. A 
large pile of mahogany timber hewed square 
for shipping, some pieces being several feet 
shorter than others, would make a space large 
enough for a man to sleep in. No doubt but 
that it was a very valuable edifice, but, at the 
same time, very uncomfortable. My apartment 
was about eight feet in length and only twenty 
inches in height and width. Early in the 

124 



The Escape 

morning I was out of bed, witli no money nor 
breakfast, hardly knowing what to do. There 
was only one thing to be done, that was to get 
on some vessel and get away from the city. 
While walking around the docks, I met the 
"runner" from Portuguese Joe's boarding- 
house. He was an American. I tried to avoid 
him, but it was useless. He had seen and 
recognised me. 

" Halloa, how long have you been ashore ? " 
he asked. 

" Oh, quite a long time," I replied. 

" See here, Murray, I know all about your 
deserting. Come down to the house and stay 
until we can get you away." 

No, I would not take any chances in a 
boarding-house. 

" You want to ship, don't you ? Come with 
me and I will put you on a vessel right off." 

" How much in advance ? " 

" Eighteen dollars," he answered. 

Then I told him how I was fixed, and also 
that he could ship me and keep all the advance 
money for his trouble. 

125 



CHAPTEE X 

THE SPORT OF THE WAVES 

We at once went to the vessel. The cap- 
tain, after asking a few questions, took us into 
the cabin, and I signed the articles for a voyage 
to Kichmond, Va., as an able seaman, at fifteen 
dollars a month. I was then given an ad- 
vance note for eighteen dollars, which I handed 
to the runner. I felt perfectly safe then, know- 
ing that the note was not payable until just 
forty-eight hours after the vessel left port. 
That fact would prevent him from giving me 
up for the reward from the fi^igate. My new 
vessel was a swift-sailing American clipper 
bark — the name I have forgotten. The slaves 
were bringing large bags of coffee on their 
backs and dropping them on deck. In a couple 
of days the cargo was completed. There being 
a fair wind, the topsails were hoisted and sheet- 

126 



The Sport of the Waves 

ed home alongside the dock. The lines to the 
dock were cast off, and our voyage to the Uni- 
ted States began. I was aloft, loosing the main 
royal, as we passed close by the old Madagas- 
car. I took off my old straw hat and waved it 
at the men on deck as they watched the 
Yankee clipper go past. I was perfectly safe 
then. Within an hour we had passed the 
Sugar Loaf. That was the last time in my life 
that I was to see the beautiful harbour of Rio 
de Janeiro. 

What a contrast between the bark and the 
brig Grenfalls! It was child's play to steer 
now. A slight movement of the wheel would 
keep the vessel on the course. We had dry 
quarters on deck, fine weather, and plenty of 
good food and water. The only thing unusual 
that occurred was the large number of flying- 
fish that dropped on deck during the night-time. 
As many as fifty would be found in the morn- 
ing. They are about the size of fresh-water 
herring. While flying they appear like streaks 
of bright silver. The flight is only for a short 
distance, however. As soon as their wings be- 

127 



The Story of a Strange Career 

come dry they drop at once. The dolphins are 
their greatest enemy. In the equatorial regions, 
or " doldrums," as it is called, we had the usual 
experience — the sea as smooth as glass, no air 
stirring except in " cat's-paws " and coming from 
different directions. As soon as the little rip- 
ples would be seen on the water, the back yards 
would have to be braced in the proper direction 
to take advantage of what little wind was com- 
ing. Day after day it was the same. At last 
we got a steady wind and were soon on the 
American coast. Being in north latitude, the 
days were rapidly becoming shorter and the 
weather very cold and stormy. I suffered very 
much from the want of warm clothing. A 
shirt and pair of drawers had been given me 
by a shipmate. Those and the suits I had 
changed for with the Brazilians were all that I 
then possessed. The latter part of December 
we arrived at Richmond. I was paid off, seven 
dollars and fifty cents being the amount due 
me. A cheap suit of clothes was bought with 
that money, and I was again in a strange city 
"dead broke." I had one consolation, how- 

128 



The Sport of the Waves 

ever, in knowing that I had quit being proxy 
for Mike Murray. 

The large schooner Onrust was in the canal 
at Richmond loaded with cement for Fort 
Taylor at Key West and the fort on the Dry 
Tortugas Island. My late shipmates and my- 
self shipped on her by the month, she being a 
coasting vessel. It was a novel experience for 
lis all to be on a schooner. Everything was so 
different from a square-rigged ship. The cap- 
tain was also the owner. Economy was his 
motto. Instead of eating in the forecastle, we 
had our meals in the cabin, the captain acting 
as host. None of the crew felt as comfortable 
as if feeding in sailor style and all etiquette 
dispensed with. In the forecastle was a small 
box stove, and that was a nuisance. The watch 
below would make a wood fire and go to sleep. 
It would only be a short time before the fire 
would be out and then we would wake up 
shivering with the cold atmosphere. As yet 
I did not enjoy the luxury of a bed or blankets. 
My finances, since leaving the frigate, had been 
at a low point. Besides the trouble below, we 

129 



The Story of a Strange Career 

felt tlie cold more severely when on deck. All 
hands agreed on one point — that the stove was 
a nuisance. That was my only experience with 
a fire in the forecastle during my life on the 
sea. No matter how cold the weather, clothing 
wet or dry, a sailor never catches cold on the 
ocean if he will keep away from a stove. We 
sailed, instead of being towed, down the James 
River. When near Fortress Monroe, the main 
boom snapped short off near the Jaws. Then 
there was trouble. We put into Norfolk for a 
new boom. Everything being ready, we hoisted 
sail for a new start. And such a job to get the 
main and foresails up on that brute of a 
schooner ! But our experience was yet to come. 
In a few days we were rounding Cape Hatteras 
and a heavy gale came up. Then was the time 
the schooner showed what she could do. The 
main-sail had to be lowered for reefing. The 
hour was about midnight, and a dark, stormy 
winter night it was. The captain was steering, 
as all the men were needed for reefing, the 
cook included. 

The first thing the Onrust did was to fall 
130 



The Sport of the Waves 

off into the trougli of tlie sea, and in the Gulf 
Stream, wliere we were at tlie time, tlie waves 
were mighty lively. Then over the rails came 
the water and swashed around the decks, knee 
deep. The cook had a nice lot of firewood 
neatly piled up handy for use. That was trav- 
elling around in all directions, the objective 
point being the sailors' shins. Suddenly the 
main boom got loose and swung from one 
quarter to the other. It was " thump, thump," 
and sparks of fire the size of a baseball were 
flying over our worthy captain's head. The 
sheet blocks worked on heavy iron travellers, 
and every roll of the schooner swung the heavy 
boom with terrific force. All we could do was 
to look on and wait for the captain to get his 
craft head on to the sea. Bang went the boom. 
It had snapped short off near the jaws. Now 
both ends were loose, and affairs were becom- 
ing unpleasant for us " square-rigged " sailors. 
The heavy cargo of cement was much below 
the water-line, and there being no yards or 
heavy rigging aloft to counterbalance it, made 
the schooner roll extra quick and lively. The 
10 131 



The Story of a Strange Career 

boom was very long and about fourteen inclies 
in diameter. How it did rattle over the top of 
the cabin ! At last, with the use of ropes, we 
managed to secure it. The main-sail, in the 
meantime, had been having its share of the fun, 
much to our discomfort. A storm-sail was 
brought from below and set. As that needed 
no boom or gaff, we had but little trouble to 
get the schooner under control again. Next in 
order was to save the main -sail. About fifty 
knots that fastened the sail had to be untied, 
and they being wet, made the knots hard to 
loosen. The boom was lying diagonally, partly 
on the cabin and over the port quarter. There 
was a narrow passageway between the cabin 
and the bulwarks. I was in the passageway at 
work, with my head between the top edge of 
the cabin and the boom. In trying to unfasten 
a foot stop I poked my head a little too far. 
When the next roll came the boom moved just 
enough to give my head a most unmerciful 
squeeze. I saw more stars to the square inch 
than could be seen with the Lick telescope ! 
The pain actually lifted me off my feet from 

132 



The Sport of the Waves 

the deck. Wlien tlie boom rolled back, I 
di'opped to the deck all in a heap. Had the 
boom moved one half inch farther, my skull 
would have been crushed. I have had many 
narrow escapes from death since, but that night 
occuiTed the closest call of all. When the gale 
abated, the boom was taken on deck and spliced 
and then placed in position again. The captain 
was the chief carpenter. 

In a short time we were in warm latitudes, 
and well pleased to get away from a northern 
winter. Passing through the Florida Keys, 
everything was delightful and interesting. The 
water was very clear. In calm weather the 
ocean's bottom could be plainly seen at twenty 
fathoms' depth. White coral was everywhere 
— the islands formed of it. It was the coral 
that made the water so transparent. On our 
arrival at Key West, part of the cement was 
landed at Fort Taylor. Then we sailed for 
the Dry Tortugas and landed the balance. The 
latter place was only a small island. Nothing 
but broken coral and shells were to be seen. 
The fort was built of brick, and about one 

133 



The Story of a Strange Career 

third completed at tliat time. Little fishing 
smacks kept the place supplied with fish and 
green turtles. That was the first time that I 
saw the red snapper. It is a beautiful large 
fish, and excellent eating. Several wrecking 
schooners were in the harbour. The crews 
seemed to have a fine time. Their pay was a 
certain share of what was taken from the nu- 
merous wrecks. Piracy and wrecking meant al- 
most the same thing in those days. One of the 
wreckers and myself wished to exchange places, 
but my captain would not consent. The 
schooners were about fifty or sixty tons bur- 
then, with fourteen to twenty men for a crew. 
Our vessel was about ^ve hundred men for a 
ton and only four men for a crew. Our maiu 
boom was larger than any mast in their whole 
fleet. To hoist sail for them was only child's 
play. With us it was a big job. 

On leaving Tortugas we sailed for Mobile, 
Ala. On our arrival in port I severed connec- 
tions with the Onrust, at the same time making 
a vow that if ever I shipped on a fore-and-after 
again, it would be a smaller craft. I went 

134 



The Sport of the Waves 

to a sailor boarding-house, and remained on 
shore for three weeks. Then I shipped on the 
C. C. Duncan for Liverpool, England. Eighteen 
dollars per month was the pay, and thirty-six 
dollars in advance. It was a fine, large Amer- 
ican ship, a thousand tons burthen. The own- 
ers were the banking firm of Duncan, Sherman 
& Co., No. 17 Wall Street, New York City. 
The crew was composed of Swedes and Nor- 
wegians, excepting three young Americans and 
myself. I was the only sailor shipped in Mo- 
bile, the rest having been on board for a num- 
ber of months. To show the difference in 
cargoes, I will describe the loading of this ship 
vnth cotton. In the first place, a hundred tons 
of stone ballast had to be placed in the bottom. 
The bales of cotton at the w^arehouse were put 
under powerful steam presses and reduced to 
one half the original size. The old bands were 
ti^-htened with levers, and two extra bands 
added. Then the bale was sent to the ship 
and stowed as closely as possible ; then jack- 
screws were used, and a space made for an 
extra bale to be jammed in, and, tier by tier, 

135 



The Story of a Strange Career 

the cotton was screwed in by men who made 
that work a sj)ecialty. Their pay was from 
three to ^ve dollars a day, with board included. 
The cargo was a solid, compact mass. The 
bales averaged about five hundred pounds 
each, and yet, with that heavy weight, the 
ship would not stand full sail in a moderate 
breeze. About two weeks after leavinsr Mo- 
bile we had a severe gale. While close reefing 
the main top-sail, one of the seamen was pulled 
over forward of the yard by the sail, and in- 
stantly killed as he struck the deck. 

On that trip we saw a vessel, about two 
miles to windward of us, struck by a heavy- 
squall. Its light sails were quickly furled, and 
the top-sails lowered. All preparations were 
made on our ship to do the same. We waited 
quite a while, but no squall came. Not a rope 
had to be let go. The wind must have shot 
high up in the clouds and passed over us. 
About six weeks after leaving Mobile we ar- 
rived off Holyhead. There a large tug-boat 
took us in tow, and we were soon going up the 
Mersey Eiver, and at anchor, waiting for high 

136 



The Sport of the Waves 

tide in order to go into dock. While coming 
up the river we were boarded by the custom- 
house officers. All hands were ordered to 
bring out their tobacco. Then the search of 
the ship began in earnest. With long, sharp- 
pointed steel wires they prodded into every- 
thing and every place where tobacco could be 
hidden. It was understood that what could be 
found would be confiscated. Much to their 
disgust, none was found. What the officers 
had in the cabin was put into a state-room, 
and the door fastened with the custom-house 



This was my first trip to England. I'd had 
a good description of Liverpool from sailors, 
and yet I was surprised at what was to be seen. 
Each dock is an immense large basin, built of 
solid stone masonry, with large store-houses 
surrounding it, the whole being inside of a high 
wall, a large gate opening into the city. Police- 
men and custom-house officers patrol it day and 
night. Nothing can pass without examination. 
The tide from the sea rises from twenty to 
twenty-eight feet in twenty-four hours. At 

137 



The Story of a Strange Career 

high tide the gates, like a lock in a canal, are 
opened. The ships are then allowed to enter 
or go out. Within a half hour the tide com- 
mences to lower, then the gates are closed until 
the next high water. Everything was made 
ready on the ship for going into dock. A tug- 
boat had us near the gate waiting for our 
chance. Once inside, we had no trouble secur- 
ing the ship alongside the dock. Our big 
anchors had to be taken on deck, that being 
one of the dock regulations. By evening every- 
thing was in first-class shape and very little 
work left to be done by us in port. After 
supper we all started to see the city sights by 
night. I was the only stranger, the others hav- 
ing been there before. The three Americans 
and myself had a very pleasant time and re- 
turned on board the vessel about twelve o'clock. 
Before we had undressed for bed we heard a 
heavy splash in the water from the forward 
part of the vessel, then some one from another 
vessel sung out, " Man overboard ! " We ran to 
the top-gallant forecastle and could plainly see 
the bubbles rising in the water, but the man 

138 



The Sport of the Waves 

never came to tlie surface. Grappling-hoots 
were sent for and tlie body was soon recovered. 
One of the crew, a Norwegian, had gone to 
sleep on a coil of rope on the forecastle and 
rolled overboard. The next morning, through 
superstition, the crew all left the ship. We 
four Americans, of all the crew, alone remained. 
The stevedore and his gang came on board to 
discharge the cargo. I was anxious to see the 
first bale of cotton taken out. I had seen how 
tightly it had been jammed in at Mobile. With 
tackle and hooks and plenty of hard work, it 
was slowly pulled out. It took over a week to 
discharge the entire cargo. I had bought a 
straw mattress in Mobile, and, as it was not very 
comfortable, I emptied the tick and filled it 
with cotton. That same day a young fellow 
came on board and asked me if I had a cotton 
mattress that I would sell him. I told him I 
had one, but needed it to sleep on. Finally a 
bargain was made — he wanted the cotton only 
to sell. I was to receive a half-crown — sixty 
cents — and get the tick back. I went to the 
dock gate with him and told the custom-house 

139 



The Story of a Strange Career 

officer that I was sending my bed to a boarding- 
house. The next day the bed was sold again, 
and I continued the operation as long as there 
was any loose cotton lying about the vessel. 
A half-crown in England was considered quite 
a big pile of money. For two crowns a coat, 
pantaloons, and vest could be purchased in those 
days. Our ship was chartered by the French 
Government to take a cargo of coal from Car- 
diff, Wales, and deliver it at Algiers, Africa. 
A few English navvies were hired to assist 
working the ship. Then a powerful tug-boat 
took us out of the dock and towed us around 
to Cardiff. After getting in the dock, the nav- 
vies were sent back on the tug. There was 
only one dock, very wide and long, without 
any walls around it. It was the private prop- 
erty of the Marquis of Bute, a kid about ^ve 
years old then. He owned nearly the whole 
city— it was " Bute " road, " Bute " dock, " Bute " 
Castle, and " Bute " everything else. We had 
to wait a number of days for our turn to go 
under the chutes. At last we commenced load- 
ing. The lower hold was about two thirds 

140 



The Sport of the Waves 

filled, the balance of tlie load going on "be- 
tween decks," so as to leave part of the weight 
above the water-line. A full complement of 
men was shipped and we were off for the Med- 
iterranean Sea. 



141 



CHAPTER XI 

A GLIMPSE OF THE MEDITEREAlOIAlvr 

SAiLiis^a south, we arrived at the Straits of 
Gibraltar. The wind was dead ahead. A strong 
current was running in from the Atlantic 
Ocean and we managed to beat in past the 
Rock after tacking ship many times. All hands 
were well tired out from bracing around the 
yards so often. On one tack we would be 
headed for Spain, on the other it would be for 
Morocco. During the night the wind died 
away. At daylight we found our ship was 
rapidly drifting on to the rocky coast of Mo- 
rocco. There was not a bit of air stirring and 
the sea was as smooth as glass. Captain Otis 
was very much discouraged, as the loss of so 
fine a vessel meant ruined prospects for the 
future. He was quite a young man for such a 
responsible position. The Moors on the shore 

142 



A Glimpse of the Mediterranean 

had seen our danger and spread the news to 
one another. Soon qnite a number of small 
boats were seen at the place where the ship 
would probably strike. It made all hands feel 
a little nervous to see the reception which was 
awaiting us. It was well known by sailors 
what a set of cutthroats the people were in that 
locality. The officers and crew held a consul- 
tation as to what should be done. My sug- 
gestion was acted upon, and that was, to take 
aU our boats and tow the ship, if possible, or 
at least to check her from drifting, in hopes 
that a breeze might spring up. Strangely 
enough, I was the only man on the ship who 
had ever seen the experiment tried. The oc- 
casion took place when I was in the bushes at 
San Carlos watching my old ship, the Courier, 
leaving the harbour. The wind having died 
away, they lowered the boats and towed the 
ship a considerable distance. But then the 
Courier was only half our size and had more 
and better boats than we had. Our boats were 
quickly lowered and fastened in a row to a 
rope from the ship's bows. By hard pulling 

143 



The Story of a Strange Career 

we slowly turned tlie vessel head to the cur- 
rent. The drifting was checked, and that was 
about all we could do. Within half an hour 
a breeze sprang up and away started the ship, 
swinging the boats around and towing them 
stern first. We had a lively time in preventing 
them from capsizing when the towing business 
was reversed. 

In a few days we sighted what appeared to 
be an immense hill of chalk, perfectly white 
from the water's edge to the summit. That 
was Algiers. Before night we were inside the 
breakwater and at anchor. That was the most 
interesting port I ever saw. A large number 
of French troops were stationed in the city. 
The Italian war was then in progress. Such 
a contrast in people and dress was probably 
never seen before. Only the Algerian and 
Moorish women seemed to be without gaiety. 
They were all dressed alike, a light gauzy dress 
and a long veil of the same material covering 
the head and face, leaving only the eyes un- 
covered. The rich wore shoes ; the poor went 
barefooted. The young had smooth skins on 

144 



A Glimpse of the Mediterranean 

their wrists ; the old were wrinkled. That was 
the only way we could tell the difference be- 
tween them. As to their beauty, we had no 
means of judging. Other women were dressed 
in silk tights and gaily coloured velvet jackets, 
the front being completely covered with jewels. 
In fact, every conceivable sort of costume was 
to be seen. The streets were always crowded ; 
nobody seemed to be at home. The French 
soldiers were in their element, all wearing their 
side-arms. One regiment of Turcos looked 
fierce enough to annihilate a whole army. At 
nine in the evening, an entire drum corps would 
double through the town beating tattoo. Then 
the soldiers would disappear for the night. 
Wine was only eight cents a quart bottle, so 
their dissipation did not cost them much, espe- 
cially as they did not get drunk. But how they 
could talk and get excited! An Englishman 
with such an opportunity would drink more 
and talk less. Most of our crew had a fond- 
ness for eau de vie — " water of life " — a cheap 
brandy that cost us only fifteen cents a quart. 
Cafe royale was also a favourite beverage 

145 



The Story of a Strange Career 

with tliem — a cup of strong black coffee with 
brandy, the latter being bought separate in a 
bottle. The coffee could be doctored to any 
degree of strength. At first, my shipmates 
would take one portion of brandy, a swallow 
of cafe royale, and in would go another, and so 
it continued until each bottle was emptied. 
When ready to pay the waiter, he would count 
the marks on the bottle at so much a mark. 
There was no chance to dispute the bill, and 
no opportunity for the waiter to defraud the 
boss. I was continually eating grapes — great 
large bunches weighing two or three pounds 
each ; they were white and seedless, and only 
two cents a bunch. Algiers was once the 
great stronghold of the Algerian pirates. They 
and the Moors laid a heavy tribute on vessels 
of all nations that came within their clutches. 
The United States sent a fleet of men-o'-war 
into their ports, destroyed their vessels, and 
liberated a number of American seamen they 
held in captivity. The city is built on the side 
of a very high and steep hill ; the streets run- 
ning parallel with the harbour are level, but 

146 



A Glimpse of the Mediterranean 

cross streets leading up are one continuous flight 
of steps. You can go into a house on one 
street and descend from one basement to another 
and find yourself on the top floor of a house on 
another street. That cannot be done in any- 
other city. Some of the old streets are only 
six feet wide, the doors in the houses being 
very heavy and studded thickly with large iron 
bolts. The windows are high from the ground 
and only twenty inches square, with heavy iron 
bars, the whole place resembling a strong 
prison. The new part of the city is quite 
modern in construction. The French intro- 
duced new ideas when they captured the 
country. 

The French Government took the coal from 
our vessel as they needed it. They were pay- 
ing one hundred dollars a day for the time 
the ship was detained in the harbour. One 
day I was sitting on the edge of the fore- 
hatch, cleaning a brace -block, when sud- 
denly my work ceased, and I was laid up 
for a week. A man was aloft, tightening 
the truss bolts on the foretop-sail yard. He 
11 147 



The Story of a Strange Career 

had a small iron bar which he was using at 
the work. Contrary to all rules, he neglect- 
ed to fasten it with a lanyard. He had diffi- 
culty in turning the bolt with his hands, so he 
reversed the operation by holding to the rig- 
ging with both hands and pushing the iron bar 
with his feet. It was a success, so far as he 
was concerned. The bolt went around, the 
bar slipped out, and, whirling through the air, 
fetched me a whack on the side of the head 
The mate gave him a good cursing for his care 
lessness. I was picked up, my head dressed 
and was nicely tucked away in my little bed 
In about ten weeks' time the coal was all dis 
charged, the ship cleaned up, and one hundred 
tons of stone ballast taken on board. We left 
Algiers, and commenced our voyage for New 
Orleans. We had pleasant weather while in 
the Mediterranean Sea. A couple of days after 
leaving port, a large Swedish sailor and myself 
were taken sick — headache and fever — then 
pustules commenced to appear on our faces and 
hands. We all knew what that meant. It was 
smallpox. At first the captain intended to 

148 



A Glimpse of the Mediterranean 

put us in the lower hold, but, as our vaccina- 
tion marks showed very plainly, he waited for 
further developments. The fresh sea air and 
plain style of living were in our favour ; vario- 
loid was all the disease amounted to. The rest 
of the crew were a badly scared lot of men for 
a few days. 

We sighted the Eock of Gibraltar, and 
were soon in the Straits, with a fair wind driv- 
ing us strong against the current. About three 
miles more and we should be on the Atlantic 
Ocean. Suddenly the wind shifted dead ahead. 
All we could do then was to go back and lie 
behind the Eock. All sails were furled except 
the top-sails, and the ship hove to by backing 
the main yards. We made several more unsuc- 
cessful attempts. The current and wind were 
too much for us. We had a fine view of the 
Eock of Gibraltar. The western side sloped 
very steeply to the bay. The eastern part was 
perpendicular and inaccessible. A narrow, 
sandy strip of land connected it with Spain. 
England, having possession of that fortification, 
was there, like a big bulldog taking charge of 

149 



The Story of a Strange Career 

the entrance to a house against the occupant's 
will. For over a hundred years the Spanish 
have been humiliated by their British guests. 
The Eock commands the entrance to the Medi- 
terranean, and is considered impregnable. Im- 
provements are being continually made. The 
galleries are tunnelled through solid rock. The 
magazines, bomb-proofs, and casemates cannot 
be penetrated by an enemy's shot. The upper 
guns can fire a plunging shot on a ship's deck, 
but a ship cannot elevate its guns enough to 
return the fire. The English can fire rifle bul- 
lets into Spain. With the heavy guns they 
can drop shot and shell into Morocco and into 
the Spanish forts, and, at the same time, throw 
tons of shot the whole length of the Straits. 
As there are at present, in 1897, just that num- 
ber of guns in position, an enemy's fleet would 
receive a very warm reception. An extra gun 
is mounted every year. By looking on the 
front cover of an almanac, anybody can find 
out just how many cannon are mounted on 
the Kock of Gibraltar. About the tenth day 
we got a fair wind that took us through the 

150 



A Glimpse of the Mediterranean 

Straits and into the Atlantic Ocean. The ship 
was then headed southwest for the Gulf of 
Mexico. In six weeks' time we sighted the 
lighthouse, and then the low sandy beach at 
the mouths of the Mississippi River. A tug- 
boat took us over the bar, and we let go 
the anchor. When a tow of six vessels was 
obtained, a large tug towed us up the river, 
each ship being fastened to the other with 
large hawsers, stem and stern. It was a power- 
ful boat to tow so many ships against the 
strong current of the Mississippi. One man 
was at the wheel to keep the ship straight after 
the tug, and all the rest of the crew were hard 
at work unbendinoc the sails and lowering^ them 
on deck. The third night, about ten o'clock, 
we arrived at New Orleans. The ship was 
secured to the levee, and the voyage on the 
C. C. Duncan was ended. 

A number of boarding-house runners came 
on board. Each one, of course, was working 
for the " best house." It was two o'clock in 
the morning when our work was finished. 
Then all the crew went ashore to enjoy a sleep 

151 



The Story of a Strange Career 

on dry land. Captain Otis tried to induce us 
four Americans to remain on the sliip for an- 
other voyage. I gave him my reasons for leav- 
ing, as it was my intention to return to my 
home from which I had been absent so long. I 
received eighty-five dollars pay that was due 
me, and went by steamboat to Mobile, Ala. 



152 



CHAPTER XII 

IN AMERICAN WATERS 

Oisr my arrival in Mobile, I went to work 
on a barge and received forty-five dollars a 
month. We would be towed down the bay 
with a load of cotton and back to the city with 
general freight. Ships drawing over twelve 
feet of water could not go up the river, conse- 
quently they had to receive and discharge in 
the lower bay, thirty-five miles from the city. I 
was on the barge for two months and then 
shipped on the schooner Pennsylvania, at thirty- 
five dollars a month. For a few weeks we 
brought salt to the city from the ships in the 
bay. Then my wages were reduced to eighteen 
dollars a month, as we were to take a cargo 
of pine lumber to Havana, Cuba. The schooner 
was towed up the Alabama Eiver to a new 
sawmill. 

153 



The Story of a Strange Career 

During tlie daytime we would load timber 
and at night all hands would go 'possum-hunt- 
ing. A few pine-knots for torches and a couple 
of dogs were all that was required for the sport. 
As soon as a 'possum was caught he would be 
as dead as a door-nail, to all appearances. They 
were put in a bag as fast as captured. On re- 
turning to the schooner, we dumped them all 
into an empty barrel. In the morning they 
would be as lively as crickets. When the bar- 
rel was hit hard with a stick, the whole lot 
would pretend to die a most tragic death. 

When the schooner was loaded, we sailed 
for Havana. On our arrival in that port, the 
lumber was discharged. The captain, as a 
speculation, bought a car of oranges and ba- 
nanas. The fruit was perfectly green when 
brought on board. We immediately set sail 
for Mobile. Much to the captain's disgust, the 
trip was a long one of calms and head winds 
and great trouble. The weather was intensely 
warm. The oranges ripened very quickly and 
then rapidly decayed. The fruit venture proved 
very unprofitable. On our arrival in Mobile, 

15i 



In American Waters 

only the bananas were fit for sale. We had a 
nice job to clean the rotten oranges from the 
hold. I never see a mouldy orange but that 
my memory goes back to that remarkable trip. 
We were towed up to the sawmill for an- 
other load of lumber. 'Possum-hunting occurred 
at nights as before. One of the sailors and 
myself wanted a pet to take to sea with us. So 
we went on shore on an expedition by our- 
selves. We at last found a big "razor-back" 
sow with a litter of pigs. Each of us decided 
that two little pigs were just the thing needed 
on the schooner. Then the fun commenced. 
" Scotty " and myself learned the fact that the 
pigs could do some good sprinting when there 
was occasion for it, and just then was one of 
the occasions. For a half hour we tried all 
sorts of tactics. It was of no use. What the 
little pigs didn't know the old sow did. At 
last we came to a big saw-log close to a fence. 
I was to stand at the end of the log while 
" Scotty " was to drive the pig family between. 
Everything worked nicely. I did not interfere 
with the sow. Making a grab, I got one pig 

155 



The Story of a Strange Career 

and was laying for another. Just then there 
was a sudden change in the program. The 
old sow was doing the chasing act. " Scotty " 
and I did not want any more pigs ! One was 
enough. It was " nip and tuck " as to who 
would win. Scotty got a stick and was pound- 
ing the sow as a diversion. I made tracks for 
the schooner. When I got on board I was 
nearly played out. The captain took a look at 
the pig and myself. Then he wanted to know 
why I didn't get a larger one while I was about 
it. When loaded, we sailed again for Havana. 
We had a pleasant trip. The schooner was 
small and very easy to handle. Captain Turner 
was a stout and short middle-aged man, very 
good-natured, and inclined to be tricky in re- 
gard to making money. We could draw our 
wages at any time we wished to do so. We 
arrived in Havana in the month of June. The 
weather was very hot. Every day at two 
o'clock we stopped discharging lumber, as the 
custom-house officers would then go home. 
Every board and stick of timber had to be 
measured on the dock. The crew would go 

156 



In American Waters 

ashore and visit the different places in the city. 
We all invested money in the Royal Lottery, 
but drew no prizes. The tickets were sold on 
the streets by venders, who received a commis- 
sion on their sales. A person who could not 
understand Spanish would suppose that they 
were selling newspapers. The tickets were in 
large sheets, sixteen dollars for a whole and 
proportionately, down to a sixteenth. 

A large American ship arrived in harbour 
from China with a load of coolies for the Cuban 
plantations. The captain was sick, so he made 
arrangements with Captain Turner to take his 
vessel, the Messenger, to New York. Our 
mate was to take the schooner to Boston, with 
a cargo of sugar and molasses. We took our 
cargo on board, boxes of sugar in the hold and 
hogsheads of molasses for a deck load. I was 
now going home in earnest. I purchased a lot 
of guava jelly and tropical preserves, besides a 
number of presents for my relatives. I wrote 
to my mother, in New York, telling her of my 
intentions, giving her the name of the schooner 
and its port of destination. The fourth day of 

157 



The Story of a Strange Career 

July, 1860, early in tlie morning, we sailed out 
past Morro Castle. Our voyage to Boston liad 
begun. I felt liappy with the prospect of 
soon being back home. We had a very easy 
time on the schooner, there being nothing to do 
except to take our turns at steering. On a full- 
rigged ship it would have been different, as it 
is invariably the practice to keep the crew con- 
tinually at work most of the time, most usu- 
ally aloft, repairing the rigging. We had 
passed the most dangerous part of our trip, 
through the Florida Keys ; the wind was " wing 
and wing " — that is, the foresail was out on one 
side and the main-sail on the other. A good 
strong breeze was driving us north at a rapid 
rate. That night it was my turn at the wheel 
from ten to twelve o'clock. It being cloudy, 
no stars were visible. For that reason it was 
more difficult to steer straight. By selecting a 
bright star ahead when the vessel is on the 
right course, it is easier to see which way the 
wheel is to be turned. Steering by compass 
alone, the vessel either " goes off " or " comes 
up " considerably before the compass shows it. 

158 



In American Waters 

The main boom was out to starboard the full 
length of the sheet. A pennant — heavy rope — 
from the end of the boom was hooked to a 
tackle and fastened forward in order to prevent 
the boom from swinging back. I had been at 
the wheel about an hour, and was watching the 
compass carefully. Suddenly the light in the 
binnacle went out. Then I had neither stars 
nor compass to steer by. As we were going 
dead before the wind, I tried to keep the old 
schooner straight, but it was useless. In a few 
minutes she yawed to starboard, and the main- 
sail was taken aback. All the strain of that 
big sail was then on the boom pennant and 
tackle leading forward. Before anything could 
be done to relieve us from our dilemma there 
was a sharp snap forward. The belaying-pin 
which held the tackle had broken, the boom 
flew over to the other side, and the sheet taut- 
ened out like a bow-string. It took hardly a 
second for the sail to jibe over. 

I was lying on deck badly stunned, the 
wheel-post broken short off, and the wheel 
broken into small pieces. The old Pennsyl- 

159 



The Story of a Strange Career 

vania was sailing in all directions. The " sheet " 
may be better understood by calling it a large 
double tackle. As the boom swung in, the 
sheet, of course, slackened up, and the bights, 
going over the quarter-deck, had caught every- 
thing in the way. If I had been caught under 
the arm or chin I should have been hurled quite 
a distance from the schooner without any pos- 
sible chance of being rescued. Small tackles 
were fastened to the tiller, and the schooner 
brought head to wind. The main-sail was then 
lowered and furled. With only the forward 
sails set and all hands at the tiller tackles, we 
managed to run before the wind on our right 
course until daylight. The fragments of the 
wheel were picked up and, by using a stout bar- 
rel-head as a foundation, it was reconstructed. 
While not being a ilrst-class affair, it answered 
all purposes. On the right side of my body, 
from ankle to top of my head, I was sore for 
several days. That was my second accident 
with main-booms, and both were narrow escapes. 
Within a short distance of Boston, our 
stock of provisions ran short, so we had to kill 

160 



In American Waters 

our pet pig. He had grown to quite a respect- 
able size. It was much to our regret to 
slaughter our companion, but it had to be 
done. As it was, we had nothing left to eat 
on our arrival in Boston. The first thing after 
the anchor dropped was to row the cook ashore 
and get some grub for supper. Captain Turner 
was on hand to meet us, having arrived several 
days previously. His first inquiries were about 
the pig. He intended to take it to his home. 
His wife had made a nice place for it in the 
back yard as a domicile. We went to a 
dock the next day for unloading cargo. A 
custom-house officer came on board to see that 
everything was according to the manifest. He 
was very sociable to all hands. About dinner- 
time he called me to one side, quietly inform- 
ing me that he was going to dinner and would 
not return for an hour or so, and that, if the 
boys had anything to take ashore, they had 
better do it while he was absent. I told the 
crew what he had said. As we all had a 
quantity of cigars, we each chipped in a hand- 
ful as a present. The balance and my supply 

161 



The Story of a Strange Career 

of guava jelly was taken to a boarding-house. 
When the officer returned from his dinner, I 
told him to look on my bed. He took the 
hint — and the cigars too. I had to wait some 
time in Boston before I could get my pay 
which was due me, and I had not written home 
about my arrival, not knowing how soon I 
mi2:ht start for New York. About the third 
day, while standing on the schooner deck, I 
noticed a neatly dressed lady coming down the 
dock. As it was an unusual place for a woman, 
my curiosity was aroused. She seemed to be 
looking for some vessel, so I stepped ashore 
and walked towards her, thinking I might be 
of some service to her. She was looking for 
her son. I was the son. It was a great sur- 
prise to me to see my mother so unexpectedly. 

^'Now, George, you won't get away this 
time ; you are going straight home with me ! " 
I was greeted. 

The way she knew the Pennsylvania had 
arrived was by reading the New York Herald. 
That paper gave the daily arrival of ships in 
all the large ports of the United States. I 

162 



In American Waters 

told her my reasons for not writing and wliy I 
was detained in Boston ; then she was satisfied. 
I inquired about my relations at home. They 
were all well and very anxious to see me. I 
then asked about my father in San Francisco. 
She at once began to cry. Then, for the first 
time, I noticed that she was dressed in mourn- 
ing. Father had been dead just three months. 
I went to a hotel with mother and remained 
with her until evening; then she returned to 
New York. In a short time I received my 
money. The next train was taking me to New 
York and back to my friends from whom I had 
been separated for such a long time. How 
glad they were to see me, and what a happy 
time we all had ! They never got tired of 
listening to the stories of my sailor life. I re- 
mained at home for about six weeks. As I 
did not wish to remain idle any longer, I con- 
cluded to return to Mobile, where I was well 
acquainted, and there work at discharging car- 
goes from vessels. I was satisfied that I could 
easily earn from two dollars and a half to three 
dollars a day at that work during the winter. 
13 163 



CHAPTER XIII 

MY THIED VOYAGE 

About October 1, 1860, I intended to take 
passage on the ship Kobert Ely, for Mobile, but 
changed my mind, for the reason that the ship 
had a crew of negroes instead of white men. 
The P. T. Bartram was almost ready to sail ; the 
crew were all shipped, so I paid ten dollars for 
steerage passage, and was to furnish my own 
food. So many sailors wanted to go South that 
it was difficult for me to ship as a sailor, the 
boarding-house keepers having the preference 
with the shipping offices for their boarders. 
The P. T. Bartram was a bark of about six 
hundred tons burthen. The cargo was general 
merchandise — a little of everything. The 
North at that time furnished the Southern 
States with everything excepting raw cotton. 

We had a fine passage to the Gulf of Mex- 
164 



My Third Voyage 

ico, with fair prospects of a speedy voyage. 
Slowly the fine breeze died away, the atmos- 
phere became unusually sultry, the barometer 
falling rapidly. Then we knew that trouble 
was in store for us. It was not long in coming, 
either. A severe hurricane from the West 
Indies struck us. All sail was taken in except 
close-reefed main top-sail and fore-storm stay- 
sail. Then the bark was hove to, head to 
wind. The wind roared and whistled through 
the rigging, the waves commenced to rise rapid- 
ly and roll on deck, rain was pouring down in 
torrents, and lightning seemed to be striking all 
around us. The bark had a half deck extend- 
ing to the main-mast. The after part was the 
cabin, the rest was for storing freight. In there 
were several tons of gunpowder. We did not 
know how soon the lightning might send us all 
skyward. Partly for exercise and self-preser- 
vation, I was working with the crew as one of 
them. The cook was with us also, since he 
had been washed out of the galley by a heavy 
sea, and would take no more chances among 
his pots and kettles. All hands kept aft on 

165 



The Story of a Strange Career 

tlie vessel's quarter-deck, no otlier place being 
safe from the heavy seas. The storm kept in- 
creasing in violence, until finally the strain 
from the top-sails bent the main-yard up 
and it snapped in two. All hands started 
aloft to save the sails. I happened to be first, 
and went out to the weather side, as is custom- 
ary. When about half-way out the foot of 
the sail, it flopped over the top-yard, struck me 
in the breast, and knocked me off the yard. 
What a queer sensation I had while falling ! 
So many thoughts rushed through my brain in 
an instant, especially whether I would strike 
on deck or go overboard ! The vessel was 
heavily careened over to leeward from the force 
of the wind, and luckily I struck in the lower 
rigging, my arms going between the ratlins, 
where I hung on for life, the pressure of the 
wind helping me considerably. My mishap 
was enou2:h for the other men — not one would 
venture on the yard. They just clung to the 
rigging, and let the top-sail blow away in small 
pieces. 

With the top-sail gone, the bark fell off into 
166 



My Third Voyage 

the trough of the sea. Then the sea washed 
over the decks. For the first time on the ocean 
I saw the experiment tried of dragging a vessel 
head on to sea. The end of a large hawser was 
fastened to the vessel's head, the rest put over- 
board, in hopes that in dragging through the 
water the strain would swing us head on. It 
was not a success. The waves washed the 
hawser all around the bark's bow and sides. If 
we could have once got it straightened out, the 
plan might have worked. Many a shipwrecked 
sailor has been saved by a similar plan, when 
compelled to abandon a ship and take to a 
small boat, by fastening a rope to the middle 
of an oar and throwing it into the water. It 
has thus kept the boat's head to the seas, and 
prevented it from swamping. The lee-pump 
was kept going continually, and that was hard 
work. Two men at a time were at the handle. 
The bark was badly strained and leaking con- 
siderably. At one time we thought all the 
water was pumped out, but that was a mistake 
on our part. The pump had commenced suck- 
ing, and no water was coming up. The fact of 

167 



The Story of a Strange Career 

no air hissing as usual seemed rather strange. 
The upper box was taken out, and then an iron 
hook lowered down for the lower box. When 
that was hauled up, the mystery was explained. 
About a pint of nicely water-soaked beans was 
holding the clapper down. By using the 
sounding rod, we found about fourteen inches 
of water below. The pump was rigged again 
and started, and in a few more minutes it was 
the same old trouble — more beans ! The pro- 
cess of drawing the boxes was gone over again. 
The same result followed — more beans ! A 
barrel of that edible fruit had broken open in 
the cargo, and every individual bean had found 
its way to the pump-well. The comments 
were loud and deep, and the man who invented 
beans was damned in all styles in several differ- 
ent languages. 

Well, there was nothing else to do but pump 
the beans out on the instalment plan. Just as 
soon as a certain quantity got on top of the 
valve or clapper, it acted effectually as an auto- 
matic shut-off for the water. The hurricane 
had been blowing for three days and our worst 

168 



My Third Voyage 

danger — the terror of all sailors — was close at 
hand. We were drifting towards the Florida 
reefs. A few hours more and the ship, with 
all hands, would be a thing of the past. There 
was no possibility of escape unless the gale 
abated or the wind shifted to another direc- 
tion. Birds by the hundreds were flying for 
our vessel. They were land birds of all kinds 
and sizes, probably blown to sea from Cuba. 
Striking the rigging or any part of the vessel, 
they would be instantly killed. Every nook 
and corner on the deck was filled with their 
dead bodies. The wind blew them around 
like so much dust. One was found in the 
compass-box, under the compass. Its pres- 
ence was made known by the smell of a de- 
caying body after the storm was over. The 
anchor-chain boxes had a fine assortment sand- 
wiched in between the big iron links. Those 
we could not get out and, consequently, the 
odour was anything but pleasant in that lo- 
cality. The sea had changed in colour from 
green to a milky white. This showed that we 
were getting into shoal water. The agitation 

169 



The Story of a Strange Career 

of the waves was bringing up fine white coral, 
which formed the bottom of the ocean in the 
locality of the reef. 

Towards sundown the hurricane had passed 
us, the wind gradually veering around to the 
north, which made a fair wind for us to Mobile. 
All sail was set, the damage repaired as much 
as possible, the cook made a lot of good strong 
coffee, and then all hands took turns in taking 
a much-needed sleep. 

A remarkable sight on that trip I have for- 
gotten to mention : one pleasant evening the 
sun was exactly even on the west horizon and 
a bright full moon on the eastern. It lasted 
only a few minutes, but it was a beautiful 
sight. All the time I have passed on the 
ocean, I never saw the phenomenon but that 
once. 

The next afternoon after the storm we 
sighted a vessel dead ahead. On getting closer 
we saw a signal of distress flying. The ship 
had lost all her masts close to deck, was almost 
on her beam ends, and rolling like a log in the 
water. What did our gallant captain do but 

170 



My Third Voyage 

sail past without giving any assistance ! The 
signal indicated that the crew wanted to aban- 
don the wreck. All hands talked rather plainly 
to the captain regarding his inhumanity. His 
excuse was that his own vessel was too badly dis- 
abled to assist others. In a few days we were 
off Mobile harbour and took the pilot on board. 
From him we got a description of the storm at 
Mobile. The Kobert Ely, the ship in which I 
had intended taking passage at first, had ar- 
rived at the beginning of the storm, and an- 
chored outside, of the harbour. The wind 
broke her from her anchorage and wrecked her 
on the low, sandy island at the entrance of the 
bay. Three of the crew were washed over the 
island into the bay on the top-gallant forecastle 
and rescued. The remainder were drowned. 

The island had been under water. When 
we arrived it was completely covered with the 
cargo and fragments of the wreck. Pianos, 
boxes and barrels, all kinds of dry goods, were 
to be seen mixed up with the spars, rigging, 
and timbers of the Robert Ely. We sailed in 
through the channel and up the bay. As we 

171 



The Story of a Strange Career 

drew only twelve feet of water we could go up 
tlie city to a wharf. A tug-boat took us in 
tow, and, striking a mud-bank, tlie good bark 
P. T. Bartram stuck there. Some of the cargo 
had to be taken out in lighters to enable us to 
get up the Spanish River. Much to our sur- 
prise, the dismasted wreck that we saw at sea 
was towed in and got up to Mobile city ahead 
of us. 

I went ashore on board of a steamboat and, 
in a few hours, was back at Campbell's board- 
ing-house, giving a description of a storm in 
the Gulf of Mexico. After I had finished my 
story, I was taken to the back yard and saw 
two bales of cotton which they had captured 
floating in the streets in front of the boarding- 
house. One third of the city had been under 
water, the upper part of a wharf had been 
washed away, and a flat-bottomed steamer had 
replaced it by standing squarely on top of the 
spiles. Schooners and fishing- smacks were 
swept into the swamp and left there — over a 
mile from the river. A great amount of dam- 
age had been done all along the Gulf coast. 

172 



My Third Voyage 

The season was rather early for work among 
the shipping, consequently I was idle. Sailors 
were needed for a ship ready for Liverpool, 
but no one wanted to leave Mobile. The 
wages, eighteen dollars a month, remained 
the same, and advance pay of fifty dollars was 
offered and increased to one hundred, so I con- 
cluded to accept it. The trip to England 
would take about ^ve weeks, and, by immedi- 
ately returning, I should still have a long win- 
ter for work. The giving of nearly six months' 
advance pay was to evade the marine law in 
regard to discharging sailors in a foreign port. 
If sailors deserted on a vessel's arriving, the 
owners were not responsible. My name was 
signed on the articles for the full voyage. 
Campbell, the boarding-house keeper, got the 
one hundred dollars and handed my share to 
me. I sent part of it to New York and re- 
tained twenty dollars for myself. Bidding 
my acquaintances good-bye and promising to 
be back in ten weeks, I went by steamboat 
down the bay and reported for duty on the 
full-rigged ship Annie Size. Campbell's re- 

173 



The Story of a Strange Career 

sponsibility for tlie advance money then ceased. 
That was exactly thirty-seven years ago, and I 
have never seen Campbell nor Mobile since. 

The Annie Size was a ship of one thousand 
tons burthen, loaded with cotton for the Liver- 
pool market. The difficulty in getting a crew 
detained us several days. Two other men and 
I had made up our minds to make a short 
cut in the voyage. The plan was to steal 
the ship's boat, get ashore and foot it back to 
Mobile. As we had our advance money, there 
was no particular desire on our part to see 
Liverpool. The next morning, while the mates 
were eating breakfast, two of us got into the 
boat. The third man weakened and squarely 
"flunked." With only us jfcwo to steer as we 
had planned, our little scheme had to fail. 
The second mate had come from the cabin and 
had seen us going away. He called the mate, 
and that gentleman hailed another ship to send 
a boat to him. In the meantime we were 
doing our best to reach shore. The other boat, 
vnth a full crew, caught up with us within a 
few yards of the shore. We were taken back 

174 



My Third Voyage 

to the ship and handcuffed until the day of 
sailing. 

Finally, the full crew was on board, and 
made a class of sailors that the mate had no 
use for. Americans, Irish, Irish- Americans — 
men of that class usually stick together; on 
the other hand, a mixed crew of all nation- 
alities does the reverse. 

The anchor was weighed, our trip for Liver- 
pool was begun, and our destination would 
not be reached too soon for any of us. The 
first day at sea war was declared. Our mate 
was the notorious bully, Billy Shackleford. 
At one o'clock he came to the forecastle door 
and in a gruff voice ordered watch on deck. 

"And he'd be if there would be any 

afternoon watch below on his ship ! " He was 
curtly told to " Go to " 

" Do you fellows know who Billy Shackle- 
ford is ? " 

"Yes, we know all about you, and any 
monkey business on your part, overboard you 
go!" 

Billy was perfectly docile for the rest of 
1Y5 



The Story of a Strange Career 

that trip. That was the toughest crew I ever 
sailed with — nearly all old acquaintances in Mo- 
bile. The amount of money in our possession 
was over a thousand dollars, in gold coin. 
Usually, sailors on a ship leaving port are all 
dead broke. An Irishman, for security, had 
bound a rag around his ankle containing sixty 
dollars. One morning his rag was missing. He 
bewailed his loss at a terrible rate. Somebody 
had quietly shaved his original style of money- 
belt with a razor while he was taking his sleep 
on deck during a night-watch. I was the next 
victim ; twenty dollars in gold was taken from 
my sea chest. The chest had been opened 
with a key. I said very little about my loss, as 
I had a strong suspicion that a certain man had 
taken it. He had shown me how safe his 
money was. It was rolled up in a rag in his 
trousers' pocket with a string tied around the 
outside of the pocket, so that the money could 
not be reached unless the string was untied, 
and that could not be done without remov- 
ing his trousers, as he explained to me. His 
custom was to get into bed all-a-stand — that is, 

176 



My Third Voyage 

without undressing. Tlie first stormy night we 
had plenty of work to do, reefing the top-sails, 
and all of us were tired and sleepy when our 
watch went below. All were soon asleep but 
myself, for my hour of revenge had arrived. 
With a sharp penknife, I cut a slit in the 
trousers of my dishonest friend, the end of the 
pocket containing the gold slipped out, then I 
cut off the whole business. The money was all 
I wanted, and the string, rag, and remnants of 
the pocket I left as a souvenir. 

Ten five-dollar and one two-and-a-half gold 
pieces was the total amount. I " planted " the 
money in a secure place and went to bed, and 
when my misguided friend awoke there was 
more anguish in the camp. He had my sym- 
pathy and consolation over the fact that we 
should both land in Liverpool dead broke, and 
this made our friendship more binding. 

Instead of making a trip in ^ye weeks, as 
we expected, we were over two months in get- 
ting to port. For a wonder, no one was killed 
during the voyage. The ship was towed up 
the Mersey River, and we arrived at Liverpool 

177 



The Story of a Strange Career 

just at high tide and were taken alongside the 
outer dock, ready to enter the gates as soon as 
they were opened. Every one of us got our 
baggage and jumped on shore, and " dock- wal- 
lopers" had to be hired in our stead to dock 
the ship. Bully Billy Shackleford was furious 
at our leaving so abruptly, and he was politely 
invited to come on shore and have a parting 
drink, which he very wisely declined to do. 

Each man had some favourite boarding- 
place, so we all became separated. I went to 
Whitechapel and had my meals and lodging at 
what the English call a "cook-shop." As I 
could not find a ship returning to Mobile, I 
made up my mind to go to Cardiff, Wales, by 
railroad, and there probably I could ship on 
some vessel loaded with railroad iron down to 
Mobile or New Orleans. My stay in Liverpool 
was only for two days. I crossed the river to 
Birkenhead — and now for my first trip on an 
English railroad. 

On my arrival at the railroad station I pur- 
chased a ticket for Cardiff ; then I wanted a 
check for my sea chest, but checking baggage 

178 



My Third Voyage 

was not a custom in England, and an official 
addressed me thus: "Will you 'ave your lug- 
gage booked ? " My name and destination were 
duly inscribed. " Sixpence, please." I got on 
tlie train tliinkiug it would be smooth sailing 
for " me luggage " and myself, but such was not 
the case. I was told to change cars at a certain 
station, which I did, and, at the time, I noticed 
that " me luggage " was on the platform at the 
station. Getting on my train, another link of 
my journey was being made, and, about nine 
o'clock that night, I found myself at a town 
called Open Gates, quite a distance on the 
wrong road. They informed me that I should 
have changed trains some distance back. " Why 

in didn't you tell me to ? " was my reply. 

A free ride back and a new start was made in 
the right direction, and, finally, I brought up at 
a town called Newport. There the "line of 
rails," as they are called, ended. Twelve miles 
from Cardiff only, and " me luggage " and I had 
to take another road, and " me luggage " could 
not be found and no one knew anything about 
it. Now, what puzzles me to this day is what 
.13 179 



The Story of a Strange Career 

the " booking " meant. And I have never been 
able to find out, although it is the English cus- 
tom. I went to a cook-shop and remained in 
Newport a couple of days, and in the meantime 
there were many inquiries about the " Young 
Hamerican's luggage." It was finally located, 
and when I changed cars the first time I learned 
that it was my duty to have it placed in the 
luggage car. While I was on my way to Open 
Gates, the chest was left on the platform, where 
I had last seen it. In the course of time a con- 
tinuation of the journey was made, and at last 
Cardiff was reached. Hunting up an old ac- 
quaintance, he took me to a nice, quiet board- 
ing-place. 



180 



CHAPTER XIY 

PEETTY JENNIE BELL 

My friend had introduced me to the land- 
lord's wife and the only two boarders in the 
house. They had resumed a four-handed game 
of cards. Something familiar about the land- 
lady's face attracted my attention. "Have I 
not seen you before ? " I asked. 

" Quite likely," she replied. 

Then I remembered all about her. She 
had been a notorious woman of the street in 
Liverpool. Many a time she had stopped me 
and my shipmates on the Bute Road and asked 
us to treat her. Sailors are very liberal when 
ashore, and very few girls are refused a drink. 
In England their favourite tipple is "two pen'- 
orth o' gin and a bit o' sugar, please." The 
gin they drink, but the two little cubes of 
sugar are placed in their pockets to be eaten 
when there is no prospect of a free drink. 

ISl 



The Story of a Strange Career 

The next morning my very sociable hostess 
had a friendly chat with me. For old acquaint- 
ance' sake I must take her to the public-house 
next door and buy the gin. That place was 
quite respectable, but, like all public-houses in 
England, women would patronize it with as 
much freedom as men. I was simply paralyzed 
by an introduction I got to a very pretty 
young woman, by the proprietor's wife. " This 
is an old lover of mine, and he has come back 
to board with me." I was too polite to deny 
it, but it was an infernal lie, all the same. 

I could not iind a ship just then ready for 
Mobile. Having nothing to do, I would fre- 
quently sit in the back-room of the public-house. 
Everything was so cosy there ! A bright fire 
in the grate made the room quite cheerful. 
The proprietor and his wife were a fine-look- 
ing and well-educated couple, always pleasant 
and sociable. Acquaintances were continually 
dropping in for a visit, and a pleasant, merry 
time it was for all. One of their fidends was a 
young woman, about twenty years old, with 
large brown eyes, always good-natured and 

182 



Pretty Jennie Bell 

pleasant. She was known as Pretty Jennie 
Bell, and was, beyond all question, the belle of 
the neighbourhood. She was married, but had 
left her husband on account of his brutality. 
Nothing could be said against her character. 
It was then Christmas-time. I was sitting in 
a chair watching the fire and thinking of home. 
Every one in the room was laughing and look- 
ing at me. I raised up my head, and saw a 
branch of mistletoe held over my head. Turn- 
ing around, I saw that "Pretty Jennie Bell" 
was the person who held it in her hand. She 
started to run, but I very quickly caught her, 
and got the kiss to which I was entitled. All 
the rest in the house must have a mug of beer 
for the kiss that I had won. Such a happy 
time we had that evening ! Jennie and I had 
fallen in love with each other. 

I had met an old shipmate in Cardiff, who 
was the first mate of an American bark. He 
recommended me to the captain, and I ob- 
tained the position of second mate. I felt quite 
proud then. It was arranged between Jennie 
and me that I should make a voyage, and 

183 



The Story of a Strange Career 

in the meantime she would obtain a divorce; 
we would then get married and go to New 
York. Our voyage was for Matanzas, Cuba, 
with a cargo of coal. A couple of nights be- 
fore we were to go, it was my turn to remain 
on the vessel. The captain and mate were on 
shore. As I sat in the cabin reading a book 
for pastime, I heard my name called. Jennie 
had come down to the dock alone to see me. 
I went ashore, and asked her if she was not 
afraid to come to such a dangerous place on a 
dark night. In an instant her arms were 
around my neck. " George, don't leave me," 
was all she said. That settled the business ! 
I helped her on board the vessel, and took her 
into the cabin. We sat there talking to each 
other until after midnight. The mate then 
returned. I told him to get another second 
mate, as I had changed my mind about going 
to sea. He laughed, and bade me good-bye. 

Jennie and I were both very happy then. 
The future was not thought about. In a 
couple of weeks it became very apparent that 
I must earn a living for my pretty wife. The 

184 



Pretty Jennie Bell 

fact of having no trade and being without 
influence to obtain suitable employment natu- 
rally made me discouraged. The English navy 
was giving four pounds sterling as a bounty 
for seamen. I shipped as an able seaman, on 
condition that I should be put on a man-of-war 
belonging to Portsmouth Harbour. My cloth- 
ing and sea chest I sold. The proceeds and 
the bounty I gave to Jennie. I was assigned 
to the line-of -battle ship St. Vincent, one hun- 
dred and twenty guns. My term of service 
was for five years. Several other men and 
myself were taken across the Bristol Channel, 
thence by rail to Portsmouth. The St. Vincent 
was a very large ship, having five decks, three 
tiers of broadside guns, and a crew of twelve 
hundred men. I received some clothing and a 
hammock and found myself a full-fledged Eng- 
lish man-of-war's-man for the second time in 
my life. 

My attention was called to the bulletin 
offering inducements for volunteers to the Gun- 
nery Schoolship Excellent. Men of good edu- 
cation, first-class seamen and physically perfect, 

186 



The Story of a Strange Career 

were eligible. A man named McMinn and I 
made applications for the required examina- 
tion. Botli of us were taken on board tlie 
Excellent and most thoroughly examined. 
Everything being satisfactory, we were trans- 
ferred and made " seamen gunners " and " sub- 
marine divers " in Her Majesty's service. The 
term of service was altered to twenty-one years. 
Extra pay was allowed for the grade of gun- 
ners. Two-pence — four cents — extra was al- 
lowed a day as submarine diver and one 
shilling an hour while diving, and one penny 
a day for each good-conduct stripe, three be- 
ing the limit. A service pension was to be 
granted for seventeen years' service, at eight 
pence a day, that being additional to our regu- 
lar pay. The Excellent was an old frigate 
anchored close to the navy yard. She had no 
masts or rigging, the crew having nothing 
more to do with the seamanship. We were 
divided into four divisions, each division chang- 
ing exercises daily. From nine in the morning 
until three in the afternoon we were constantly 
drilling. Breech- and muzzle-loading guns, 

186 



Pretty Jennie Bell 

broadside guns, howitzers aud muskets and 
rifles and pikes and cutlasses, all came in rota- 
tion, and target practice daily with big guns 
and small arms. Then, by turns, we would 
put on the submarine armour and practise at 
diving in thirty feet of water. On Saturdays 
and Sundays we had a rest. Five days' drilling 
in a week was sufficient. When a man-of-war 
was ready for sea an order would be sent to 
the Excellent for the same number of seamen 
gunners as the ship had guns. Then we would 
rank as Captains of the Guns and receive pay as 
petty officers. For instance, a frigate of forty 
guns was ready for sea; forty men from the 
Excellent would be sent on board. As soon 
as the frigate returned from a cruise the forty 
men would be sent back to continue their 
practice in gunnery. At three of the after- 
noon, every day, three divisions were at liberty 
to go on shore and remain until half-past seven 
the next morning. 

I at once rented a nicely furnished room 
for light housekeeping for one half crown a 
week. Then I sent for Jennie. On her arrival, 

187 



The Story of a Strange Career 

everything was made pleasant and comfortable. 
I would be at home three nights out of every 
four. Saturdays I would be at liberty at eleven 
o'clock in the morning until Monday morning. 
My wife would draw one half my pay every 
month, one quarter pay was given to me in 
cash monthly, and the other quarter I could 
draw in clothing and other necessaries. I 
needed all my pay, and it required sharp prac- 
tice to get it. I could get one pound of tobacco 
monthly. That cost one shilling, government 
price. I sold it immediately for two shillings. 
I drew flannel, and sold it at a profit. I kept 
my account about square with the paymaster. 
As I drank no grog, tea and sugar were given 
me in lieu of it. McMinn and I were very 
friendly. He was a temperance man and gave 
me his allowance of tea and sugar. At the 
end of each month I had quite a quantity 
due me. My haK-pay was allotted to Mrs. 
Jennie Thompson, Portsmouth. Then we were 
in a quandary. It was necessary for a wife to 
show a marriage certificate before she could 
get the money. Now that was a document 

188 



Pretty Jennie Bell 

that Jennie did not possess. That little ob- 
stacle did not bother us very long. We went 
to the Register's office and were married in 
orthodox style. Jennie did not worry much 
over the fact of committing bigamy. She got 
the certificate and half-pay, too. We lived 
together very happily. I never knew her to 
be ill-natured or say a cross word. I always 
had a cordial welcome, and a pleasant smile 
awaited me. What money I earned was spent 
to advantage. I neither drank liquor nor used 
tobacco. My nights were always passed at 
home with Jennie, and happy hours they 
were, too ! 

One night, while my division was on duty 
aboard the ship, we had quite a diversion from 
the ordinary routine. A big fire was seen on 
shore. All boats were " called away " and our 
division landed at the navy yard, each man 
carrying a ship's fire-bucket. A lieutenant had 
charge of the " fire brigade " of about one hun- 
dred and fifty sailors. !N"othing pleases a sailor 
more than having something to do on land. 
Going to a fire was an unusual treat. Steam 

189 



The Story of a Strange Career 

fire-engines were not invented at that time. 
For a New York city man that fire was a com- 
ical sight. On our arrival at the scene, we 
found a regiment of soldiers drawn up in double 
line around the burning buildings. Behind them 
were about all the prostitutes in the city — and 
they were numerous in proportion to the popu- 
lation. The soldiers opened ranks for us to pass 
inside the lines, the women encouraging the 
sailors by singing out, " Go it, Excellents ! Be 
lively, my lads ! " The troops had their mus- 
kets and, in their bright scarlet uniforms, made 
a grand display. Only one old-fashioned fire- 
engine, worked by hand, was to be seen. The 
old box was so leaky that the water was spurt- 
ing in all directions except the proper one. 
Our gallant lieutenant, with his drawn sword 
pointed to the burning building, was ordering 
us to put out the fire. The whole block was a 
row of small two-story brick buildings. As one 
house would burn down, the next would catch 
fire. The fire-buckets were of leather, vrith a 
rope thirty feet in length attached to each one, 
for the purpose of hoisting water over the ship's 

190 



Pretty Jennie Bell 

side and lowering it down the hatches in case 
of fire. On shore the circumstances were dif- 
ferent. The rope was a great impediment. 
But something must be done to show what 
sailors could do at a fire. 

A dam of mud was made in the street 
gutter, the leaks in the fire-engine furnishing 
abundance of water. All hands were formed 
in line and each man, dipping up a bucketful 
of water, would run to the burning structure, 
the lieutenant with his sword would point out 
the particular second-story window into which 
he wanted the contents of the bucket thrown, 
and so it would go. That plan was a dismal 
failure. It would require men about twenty 
feet in height for that style of fire-fighting. 
The agents of the insurance company asked us 
to tear down a building about six houses to the 
leeward of the fire. By that means the fire 
could be checked from spreading. The fun 
then began in earnest. A stick of timber 
was used as a battering-ram for the outside ; 
inside the building the sailors were like a 
swarm of bees. One enterprising man was 

191 



The Story of a Strange Career 

boosted up into the attic ; he did not remain 
there long, however, for, making a misstep, he 
went through the second-story ceiling, his body 
and a quantity of plastering landing on his 
shipmates below. That building was a com- 
plete wreck in a very short time. While the 
wrecking was in progress, some of the sailors 
had got on the roof of a building next to the 
fire. Then the hose was pulled up, and during 
that process the sailors close by got a good 
ducking occasionally. Somehow, the sailors 
could not control the nozzle properly — at least 
they said so. In a short time the fire was put 
out, and there were four buildings not damaged 
between the ruins and the wreck. How that 
insurance agent did growl and rave ! 

All hands picked up their buckets and were 
marched to the navy yard, and on out' way a 
saloon-keeper was called out of bed and the 
lieutenant treated each man to a pint of beer. 
About daylight we were on board the ship 
again. The sailor who so gallantly held the 
nozzle and squelched the fire was in luck. The 
insurance company made him a present of ten 

192 



Pretty Jennie Bell 

shillings, and also wrote a letter to tlie captain 
of tlie Excellent, praising the conduct of the 
aforesaid sailor. As he had ruined a fine pair 
of trousers which cost him twenty shillings 
to replace, his reward was considered quite 
small. The men in the house- wrecking busi- 
ness were inclined to be envious; they were 
not even thanked for their hard work. 

By hard study and strict attention to duty, 
I soon became a good gunner. The cutlass 
exercise I was very fond of. Every evening, 
when I remained on board, I would get some 
good man to use the single sticks with me for 
amusement, and, consequently, I became quite 
a good swordsman. In April we received 
news in regard to the Eebellion in the United 
States. Jennie and I had a long conversation 
on the subject, and both concluded that it 
would be much better for me to be in the Unit- 
ed States navy, where promotion was possible. 
The pay was also much better. Besides, I was 
not an Englishman, and it was my duty to 
fight for my country. It was arranged that 
Jennie should go home to her parents, and re- 

193 



The Story of a Strange Career 

main there until I could send for Iter from 
New York. I was to desert from tlie Ex- 
cellent. 

Now, deserting from that vessel was a se- 
rious affair, as neither labour nor expense was 
spared in capturing a deserter. The penalty- 
was not less than one year in prison. It was 
very seldom that a gunner ran away, and nearly 
every one who did so was caught. I got a 
canvas bag, such as sailors use, instead of a 
chest. Taking it home, I filled it with any old 
dresses or rags that Jennie could get. I 
brought two No. 3 grape-shot from the ship, 
and put them in with the other trash. My 
object was to have my baggage to take with 
me. I told McMinn of my intentions. He 
had his discharge from the English merchant 
service, which he gave to me, as it might be 
very useful. My sailor clothes I sold, except 
the suit I had on. Jennie told our landlady 
that she was going home on a visit. Every- 
thing being ready, we bade each other an affec- 
tionate good-bye, and she went away. The 
next day I got a pass from the captain for per- 

194: 



Pretty Jennie Bell 

mission to travel for twenty-four hours unmo- 
lested. I got my man-of-war's suit changed, 
and, taking my baggage, and getting on the 
cars, I was in London in a few hours. 

Securing my bag, I at once went to the 
Sailors' Home on the East India Road, regis- 
tering my name as John McMinn, also showing 
the discharge from the merchant service. I 
stated that I had been home several months on 
a visit. The Home was a very large building 
built by the Government for the protection 
of sailors from the numerous boarding-house 
sharks. The charges were just enough to cover 
all expenses, and each man had a small room 
to himself, besides the use of the library and 
the bathing-room. There was also a large 
sitting-room, and a shipping office was on the 
lower floor. Men could be shipped there or 
paid off ; in fact, everything was done to pro- 
tect sailors from being defrauded. Early the 
next morning I went to London dock. In a 
short time I found an English brig ready for 
sea. Shovnng my discharge to the captain, he 
told me that I was just the kind of man he 
14 195 



The Story of a Strange Career 

wanted, and gave me an order to be shipped. 
I went to tlie Home and signed the Articles 
for a voyage to St. Kitts, West Indies. 

An advance note for two pounds ten was 
given me, and the next day, at ten o'clock, the 
brig was to sail, that being the time of high 
tide, and the dock gates open. That also was 
the time that I would be proclaimed a deserter 
from Her Majesty's service, it now being 
twenty-four hours after my pass had expired. 
I had no intention of going to St. Kitts, and 
about nine o'clock I settled my bill, and, pick- 
ing up my bag, was going out of the door, 
when I met one of the owners of the brig. 

" Ah, my lad, I came to ship another man 
in your place. We thought you had backed 
out." 

" Oh, no ! " I replied. " I am just on my 
way to the docks." 

"Then hurry, lad, you have no time to 
lose." 

Well, that brig went to sea with my name 
on the Articles. That was what I wanted. 
But I was not one of the crew. I went to a 

196 



Pretty Jennie Bell 

shipping office, threw my bag into a corner, 
and told them that I wanted to ship on a ves- 
sel. I was sent to an American ship to see 
the mate, and from him I got an order to be 
shipped. The voyage was around Cape Horn 
to Callao, Peru, from there to Australia, and 
thence to the United States. That trip would 
be around the world and would take a year to 
complete. 



197 



CHAPTER XY 

GOOD-BYE TO ENGLAND 

Mrs. Massey was in charge of the shipping 
office, and, showing her the order and saying 
that I would ship, I walked out, and straight- 
way back to the dock I went. I found the 
vessel that I really wanted. It was the packet- 
ship Rhine, bound for New York with emi- 
grants. From the mate I got an order to be 
shipped from a certain office. I went to Massey's 
for my bag, and, as I picked it up and started 
for the door, Mrs. Massey asked me if I had 
backed out, and I curtly told her that I had. 
Then she showed her good breeding. Such 
language I never heard a woman use before. 

" , — who enticed you from this office ? 

! " Two young men happened to be 

standing in front of the door. " — are these 
the men ? " she asked. " Yes," I answered, and 
what a tongue-lashing those two fellows got ! 

198 



Good-Bye to England 

In the meantime I walked off. I found tlie 
right office and shipped for New York. I re- 
ceived an advance note of two pounds ten. A 
young man in the office offered to take me to a 
small boarding-house, and aniving there, I was 
introduced to the landlord. He was an old 
sailor, a native of Chile, and the fact of my 
having lived there made us friends at once. I 
made a bargain for two days' lodging, a straw 
mattress, sheath knife, tin pot, pan, and spoon. 
Besides, he was to have ^ve shillings extra for 
cashing my advance note. The difference he 
paid me in cash. Then I went to the post- 
office and bought an order for every cent I had, 
made payable to Jennie Bell, and, remaining in 
the house until the sailing, I wrote a letter to 
Jennie, merely stating that I would be in New 
York four weeks from that time. The money- 
order was inclosed and the letter mailed just 
before the ship left the dock. We sailed down 
the Thames River into the Channel, and at sun- 
down the white chalk cliffs of Dover were far 
astern. That was the last time I ever saw the 
coast of England. 

199 



The Story of a Strange Career 

The Rhine had a large number of steerage 
passengers on board. Men, women, and chil- 
dren were all huddled together between decks. 
They all got sea-sick, and it is a wonder that 
none of them died. The filth and stench were 
terrible. The crew were a tough lot, being 
mostly old " packet rats," as they are termed. 
They would stay on shore until their advance 
money was all spent, then they would have to 
ship. They would steal all of their clothing 
from their more provident shipmates. My bag 
had been searched, but it only set them won- 
dering as to who I was, with all the old rags 
and the two grape-shot. In just one month's 
time we sighted Sandy Hook, New York. The 
passengers were all on deck, getting their first 
glimpse of America, and were all glad that the 
voyage was so nearly ended. The twin light- 
houses of the Highlands of Navesink were in 
plain view ; below them was a famous summer 
resort for New Yorkers. As I stood on that 
deck watching the beautiful scenery, a dirty, 
ragged suit of sailor's clothes on my back, not a 
cent of money in my pockets, had a fortune- 

200 



Good-Bye to England 

teller tlieii said to me — " See that hotel on the 
beach ? One year from now you will be stay- 
ing there as a guest, and paying twenty-five 
dollars a week for your accommodation. You 
will be the best-dressed young man in the 
house and wearing diamond jewelry, with the 
waiters eager to wait upon you, as you are very 
liberal in giving tips. And Matilda, the pro- 
prietor's daughter, will be your betrothed 
wife " — I should have laughed at the idea ; but 
it all happened so in reality. 

As we sailed through the Narrows it be- 
came my turn to steer the ship ; the captain and 
pilot standing close to me conversing, I heard 
the pilot say that the docks were crowded 
with ships, and that the Rhine would have to 
remain anchored in the bay a week before 
docking. The captain replied that it would 
give them a good opportunity to have all the 
rigging tarred. Now, hearing that conver- 
sation nearly cost me my life. Tarring a ship's 
rigging is about the hardest work and the 
dirtiest job imaginable, and, besides, the hands 
and finger-nails are dyed a dark-brown colour 

201 



The Story of a Strange Career 

which remains for weeks. None of that work 
for me just then ! As the anchor dropped, my 
duty at the wheel was ended. The boarding- 
house keepers came alongside and were soon 
on deck looking for victims. A . hard-looking 
case asked me if I had ever been in New York 
before. 

" No, this is my first trip across the ocean." 

" Well, come to my house. I have a nice 
place." 

" All right," I answered, " I will go, on con- 
dition that you get my clothes and take me 
from the ship right off." 

He told his runner to take his row-boat 
under the port bow. Going to the forecastle, 
I pointed out my bag. I was to go in the 
boat ; then he was to throw me my valuable 
wardrobe. The passengers were at the rail, 
looking at Castle Garden. Crowding in be- 
tween, I found there was a rope hanging over 
the ship's side, and, in an instant, I was on the 
rail, grabbing hold of the rope. I intended 
going down " hand over hand " with my feet 
on the vessel's side, but the rope was not fast- 

202 



Good-Bye to England 

ened as I supposed, consequently I fell about 
twenty feet, striking the water back first and 
just barely missing the row-boat. The runner 
helped me in, then down came the bag, and 
we were off for dry land. My career on the 
ocean as a sailor before the mast had teiTQinated 
most unexpectedly to me, and that proved to 
be my last voyage. 

On landing, we walked to the worst local- 
ity in New York city. On the way I was 
told that a brig bound for the "West Indies 
needed a crew, and would I ship on her? 
" Certainly," I replied. Now the intention was 
to " shanghai " me (that is, steal my advance 
money), my landlord supposing that I was a 
greenhorn. Finally, we entered a dirty old 
house on Cherry Street, the worst street in the 
city at that time. I was invited to take a 
drink, which I refused. The sleeping apart- 
ment was shown to me — a filthy room with 
bunks around the sides, made out of rough 
boards. The brig was to sail the next day. 

" Well, I must have a new pair of shoes." 

^* All right, come with me." 
203 



The Story of a Strange Career 

He took me to a store and I selected a pair, 
whicli were charged to tlie landlord. 

" Now I want a hair-cut and a shave." 

Into a barber-shop we went, and that was 
also charged up. Going back to the house, I 
had my supper, and it was a holy terror for 
" shore food." I loafed around the place until 
after dark, then I started for home, being 
ashamed to have the neighbours see me in day- 
light in my ragged and still wet clothing. As 
for the sailors' boarding-house, it was only a 
case of "wolf eat wolf." They had simply 
caught the wrong man for a sucker. 

I rang the door bell and a strange servant 
girl asked me whom I wished to see. Without 
answering, I walked in and opened the sitting- 
room door. My return was a complete sur- 
prise. One of my cousins, a young lady, cast 
pitiful glances at my clothing, as much as to 
say, "Poor fellow, he must have had a hard 
time ! " Fortunately, on leaving home the last 
time, I had left my best suit of clothes behind. 
It was only a short time before I had a good 
bath and was dressed like a civilized being. 

204 



Good-Bye to England 

We remained in tlie sitting-room talking until 
after midnight. My travels and the war were 
the topics of conversation. Next morning I 
went to the post-office and got a letter from 
Jennie. The detectives had traced her home 
and all kinds of questions were asked in regard 
to me. But she knew nothing. They said it 
made no difference, as they would have me 
back in England in a few weeks, for I had 
shipped on an English ship for St. Kitts and 
orders had been sent to the admiral of the 
station to arrest and send me back in irons at 
the first opportunity. 

In the afternoon I went to the naval ren- 
dezvous, and passed examination as an able 
seaman for the United States navy. The pay 
was eighteen dollars a month, with chance of 
promotion. But there was a hitch in the pro- 
ceedings. The quota of able seamen was filled, 
and the best I could do was to ship as an 
ordinary seaman at fourteen dollars a month. 
That I refused to do, and I explained that I 
was fully capable of being a petty officer, and 
that I would not throw away my chances for 

205 



The Story of a Strange Career 

being rated as sucli by shipping as an ordinary- 
seaman. I was invited to come again in a few 
weeks, as more men would be required, and 
they preferred young Americans like myself in 
tlie navy. In a few days I kad made up my 
mind to go into tke army. The companies and 
regiments throughout the Northern States that 
were being organized had to be disbanded for 
lack of arms and clothing, and also for the rea- 
son that the Government had no expectation of 
needing their services, so my patriotism was 
squelched for the time being. A number of 
my young friends had enlisted for three 
months, under the first call for seventy-five 
thousand men. They nearly all got back, and 
stayed home for the remainder of the war, hav- 
ing had all the glory they wanted. 



206 



CHAPTEE XYI 

WHAT MONEY CAN DO 

I WEOTE to Jennie, telling her that arrange- 
ments had been made for her to live with my 
mother for awhile, telling her also to let me 
know when she would be ready to leave Eng- 
land, as the money would then be sent to pay 
her expenses. In a month's time I received a 
very formal letter from her sister stating that, 
through mediation of relatives, Jennie and her 
first husband had become reconciled, and were 
again living together. I showed the letter to 
my mother and explained everything. She 
was pleased at the termination of the affair, 
but, somehow, she took no stock in my wife's 
morality. I had about concluded that my 
valuable services would not be needed in the 
war, so I went to Duncan & Sherman's banking 

house in Wall Street, intending to ship in one 

207 



The Story of a Strange Career 

of their vessels, if possible. There I met Cap- 
tain Otis, who was in command of the C. C. 
Duncan when I made the voyage to Algiers. 
He had quit going to sea, and was married to 
Mr. Duncan's only daughter. Through his in- 
fluence, I obtained a good situation as outdoor 
clerk for the banking house. My work was 
principally about the shipping at the docks. I 
was delighted at the prospect of remaining at 
home and living on dry land. The excitement 
over the war had quieted down considerably in 
New York. Regiments passing through the 
city for Washington were loudly cheered and 
soon forgotten. In the meantime the rebels 
were strongly fortifying the Southern coast, 
and loudly proclaiming that "Cotton was 
King." The battle of Bull Eun made it quite 
plain to both parties that they had a big con- 
tract on their hands. The celebrated New 
York Fire Zouaves did not go to Richmond as 
they intended. A number of them became de- 
moralized, and never stopped running until 
they got back to Fulton Market, in New York. 
The few ships in the navy captured Port 
208 



what Money Can Do 

Eoyal, in Soutli Carolina. Some of tlie Con- 
federates from there never stopped until they 
reached Canada. Then came Hatteras Inlet 
and Eoanoke Island, N. C. The Government 
secured all the steamers available for the use of 
the navy, even taking the old Staten Island 
ferry-boats. Gold became very scarce and at a 
premium. Legal-tender notes were then issued, 
and Government bonds sold at a discount. 
For small change, postage-stamps were used. 
All the silver coin was being hoarded up and 
withdrawn from circulation. A revenue tax 
was placed on everything. On whisky it was 
two dollars a gallon. Even the poor people 
had to pay for the revenue-stamps on the pawn- 
tickets when they pledged articles. Before 
the war ended, good tea was two dollars and a 
half a pound ; coffee, from forty cents to a dol- 
lar ; sugar, twenty-two cents ; a common round 
of beefsteak, twenty-five; turkey, thirty -five 
cents a pound, and eggs sixty cents a dozen. 
There was plenty of work, with high wages. 

I still kept my situation and was gradually 
working my way up. My associates were very 

209 



The Story of a Strange Career 

different from those I came in contact with 
while a sailor. Knowing as much as I did 
about the Havana Lottery, I had great faith in it. 
By very little persuasion, I got six young men to 
go in with me to co-operate in the purchase of 
tickets, each one paying a certain sum weekly. 
Every month tickets would be bought for the 
full amount. The bankers, Taylor & Company, 
in Wall Street, were the agents. For several 
months it was the same thing — no prizes. In 
the month of April, 1862, there was rejoicing 
in the club. We had drawn a iifty thousand- 
dollar prize! Taylor & Company cashed it 
for us at a small discount. The seven sharers 
received the money — a little over seven thou- 
sand dollars each. Then we all went to the 
devil. No use working with all that wealth, 
so we left our situations. 

At first a silver watch costing thirty-five 
dollars was good enough for me, then I changed 
it for a gold one worth one hundred and forty. 
A diamond ring came next, for one hundred 
and twenty-five dollars. And of course I must 
have a diamond breastpin, one hundred and 

210 



what Money Can Do 

twenty -five more. I got to be very particular 
about the style of my clothing. A bottle of 
wine with my suppers was just the thing. How 
I did lie back and contrast the present with 
the past while on board a ship ! ' 

Not feeling very well, I concluded to spend 
a few weeks at a summer resort. My friends 
recommended me to Teller's Pavilion, at the 
Highlands, Navesink, N. J. My expenses 
there were quite heavy: twenty-five dollars 
a week for a nice room, one bottle of w^ne 
for dinner, two dollars and a half extra. To 
be well waited on called for liberal tips to 
the waiters. As my money had come easy it 
went easy. I made a lot of friends, and usu- 
ally paid all the bills for boating parties and 
other amusements. I became acquainted with 
Miss Tillie Teller, and with us it was a case of 
"love at first sight." Finally, we became en- 
gaged. I presented her with a fine diamond 
engagement ring. The season ended and I re- 
turned to New York. 

Having spent a large share of my money, I 
concluded to start in some business with the 
15 211 



The Story of a Strange Career 

remainder, make a good living and marry Tillie. 
A saloon on Broadway seemed a good invest- 
ment. Well, as a saloon proprietor I was a dis- 
mal failure. It was nothing but woe and mis- 
ery. Every one robbed me right and left. I 
got into debt, lost all my respectable friends, 
broke my engagement with Tillie, and married 
another girl ; and that wife put the finishing 
touch on the whole business. Annie was her 
name. She was very pretty, with blue eyes, 
light hair, and petite figure. How innocent 
and childish in her ways ! She could make me 
believe almost anything. I had more rows on 
her account than a prize-fighter could conveni- 
ently attend to. If we went on the street-cars, 
to the theatre, or into a restaurant, there would 
be trouble with some one in short order. It 
made no difference where we lived, it would be 
the same old program ; the first two days all 
would be lovely, until she got acquainted with 
the neighbours, and then war would be declared. 
And I, like a fool, believed her to be in the 
right. As regards her education, it was much 
below the average standard. What she lacked 

212 



what Money Can Do 

in that respect, however, was counterbalanced 
by her ingenuity in inventing lies. It took a 
long time for me to discover her talent in 
that line. Her fictions were not overdone ; 
they were simply just good enough to be- 
lieve. 

Becoming disgusted with the saloon busi- 
ness, I concluded to sell out at any price. I 
was in debt, head over heels, and what little 
money was taken in was stolen by the bar- 
keeper. I was offered four hundred and Mty 
dollars for the place and accepted it. It cost 
me twelve hundred. I made a great mistake 
in not insisting upon having my little angel of 
a wife included in the sale, but it required a 
few more years' time for me to become fully 
acquainted with all her virtues. She certainly 
was a terror. As a diversion she would have a 
fit of hysterics. I was not well posted on that 
female peculiarity. At first, I was badly scared 
and did some lively petting and nursing. 
Finally, the thing became rather monotonous, so 
that when she felt like thumping her head 
against the door or bed-post, I would go to sleep 

213 



The Story of a Strange Career 

and let her amuse herself to her heart's content. 
She recovered much quicker, as I found out by 
experience. Taking a dose of laudanum was 
also a favourite trick, but, unfortunately, she 
never took an effectual one. 



214 



CHAPTEE XYII 

THE NEW YOEK DRAFT EIOTS 

I HAD sold all of my jewelry. The proceeds 
of the sale of the saloon were nearly all paid 
out for my debts. My financial affairs were in 
a low condition, with a loving wife to care for. 
What made my affairs worse was the prospect 
of soon becoming a father. At that time there 
was considerable war excitement in New York. 
The rebels had broken loose and had invaded 
Pennsylvania. All the New York State militia 
were then sent to the front. My mind was fully 
made up to enter the navy as soon as our child 
was born and my wife well. The grade of en- 
sign had been created in the navy. Getting 
good recommendations from Duncan, Sherman 
& Company and from Captain Otis, I made ap- 
plication to the Secretary of the Navy — Gideon 
Welles — and received permission to be ex- 
amined for the position of ensign. 

215 



The Story of a Strange Career 

Tlie draft riots in the city had begun 
(July, 1863) and all business was at a stand- 
still. The three hundred dollars' clause was the 
cause of the trouble. A man in moderate cir- 
cumstances could pay that amount and be ex- 
empt from military service, but a poor man 
would be compelled to go. The State militia 
being away, the city was defenceless. Besides, 
there were thirty thousand known criminals 
among the population, and a great number of 
rebel sympathizers. The drawing of names for 
the draft took place at Forty-second Street and 
Second Avenue. Early in the morning a large 
mob gathered and very quickly drove the 
officers from the building and gutted the place 
most thoroughly. The police from that pre- 
cinct came running up Second Avenue, and 
used their clubs very freely. When they got 
close to the mob, affairs were different. The 
rioters disarmed the police and gave them a 
most unmerciful beating, several being killed 
outright. One had sought refuge in a house, 
where he was found hidden under a mattress 
and thrown out of a second-story window. 

216 



The New York Draft Riots 

Everything in tlie building was destroyed and 
the place set on fire. The same result happened 
at every house where a policeman had been 
assisted or sheltered. Next the Invalid Corps, 
composed of disabled soldiers, made a charge 
on the crowd. 

They were disarmed and driven back, and 
in a short time news of the riot spread over the 
city and pandemonium reigned for the time be- 
ing. All places of business were closed and 
not a policeman dared to leave the station- 
houses. A number of good citizens took pos- 
session of the armories and arsenals and guarded 
them from capture by the rioters. Buildings in 
different parts of the city were set on fire, and 
the firemen would be on hand with their en- 
gines, but would not be allowed to throw a 
single stream of water. The Coloured Orphan 
Asylum was pillaged and burnt to the ground. 
The Old Firemen's was an organization that 
gave its services without pay, but its members 
were exempt from military duty. Their en- 
gines were worked by hand, the companies 
having from seventy-five to one hundred and 

217 



The Story of a Strange Career 

twenty-five members each, and were always 
present at the fires, but were powerless to do 
anything. The mob had sense enough not to 
attempt to injure any of the engines, as that 
would have precipitated a fight with the fire 
laddies, and they had the reputation of being 
fighters from the word " Go." 

Down town, the rioters made an attack on 
the New York Tribune building, but old Horace 
Greeley was prepared for war. The doors and 
windows were barricaded with bales of paper 
and behind that were all the employees, all heav- 
ily armed. The mob took in the situation and 
went after something that was easier, such as 
chasing negroes into the East and North rivers 
and watching them drown. At Twenty-first 
Street they caught several and hanged them to 
lamp-posts ; then straw mattresses were placed 
under them and set on fire. United States ma- 
rines were sent from the Brooklyn Navy Yard 
to guard the United States Treasury building 
on Wall Street, as well as the banks in that 
neighbourhood. Towards evening the rioters 
became drunk and more reckless ; nothing could 

218 



The New York Draft Riots 

be done to check them, and all the respectable 
citizens anticipated a night of terror. Fortu- 
nately, about eight o'clock a heavy rain com- 
menced to fall, and that caused the drunken 
brutes to disappear. The rain also extinguished 
the fire in the many ruins in diif erent localities. 
The next day the weather was quite pleasant, 
and the rioters, early in the morning, recom- 
menced their work of destruction ; houses would 
be pillaged and then set on fire. The lower 
class of people, especially the women and chil- 
dren from the tenement-houses, could be seen 
carrying off everything that was portable. The 
thieves were very busy stealing all the valu- 
ables when a house was first raided, and they 
were usually the first to make a demonstra- 
tion at any building, the mob being always 
ready to follow, on general principles. The 
police remained in the station-houses, not one 
of them daring to come outside, as it would 
have been certain death to do so. 

Gun and hardware stores were broken into 
and looted of all arms and ammunitions, and, 
by that means, a large number of the most des- 

219 



The Story of a Strange Career 

perate rioters became armed. A mob composed 
of about five thousand men started for the Fifth 
Avenue Hotel, situated on Madison Square, 
considered at that time the finest and most 
aristocratic hotel in the United States. As 
they came close to the building, yelling loudly, 
" Burn the Fifth Avenue ! Loot the Fifth Ave- 
nue ! " all anticipating an exciting time as well 
as plenty of rich plunder, the whole thing was 
suddenly changed. The occupants of the hotel 
had been watching the advance of the mob 
— not knowing their intention — and as the 
rioters entered the Square, howling and hoot- 
ing, every window in the building was occu- 
pied by the guests, who loudly cheered and 
waved handkerchiefs to show that they were 
in full sympathy with the mob. That ended 
the affair, as the rioters were not disposed to 
injure any of their openly avowed Copperhead 
friends. The cheers were returned, and no 
other demonstration was made. The Fifth 
Avenue was a regular resort for secessionists 
and rebel sympathizers during the war. In 
any other country such a place would have 

220 



The New York Draft Riots 

been closed up and all of the occupants put in 
prison. 

Towards night a few of the militia arrived 
in the city, and the rioters killed a few of them 
by firing from the windows and house-tops in 
the tenement districts. The morning of the 
third day more troops arrived, and the mob 
scattered in all directions upon the approach 
of the soldiers, only to mass together again 
in another locality. In the morning a regi- 
ment of infantry marched down Second Avenue 
and the colonel stopped on some private busi- 
ness on Twenty-seventh Street, when two riot- 
ers sneaked up behind and knocked him sense- 
less with a club. Then the crowd quickly 
gathered, a rope was procured, and the colonel 
was strung up to a lamp-post. In the mean- 
time the regiment was marching along in com- 
plete ignorance of their colonel's fate. The 
body was soon cut down and dragged through 
the streets, receiving all kinds of ill-treatment. 
Eioters' wives hurled paving-stones at the 
prostrate body, and what was most strange 
was the fact of his retaining life until late in 

221 



The Story of a Strange Career 

the afternoon. He was a very powerful man 
and must have had wonderful vitality. Near 
Tenth Street was a large building used as a 
manufactory of muskets and revolvers. The 
rioters had broken in and were helping them- 
selves to everything portable, and, in fact, they 
were so busy that they did not know that 
Colonel Lynch's regiment was at hand, and 
when they did realize that fact it was too late, 
for, as they came rushing out, they were shot 
down without mercy. A number of them 
jumped out of the windows only to be killed 
or maimed for life as they struck the side- 
walk. Quite a large number was killed by 
soldiers, and those who escaped spread to 
the different parts of the city and circulated 
the story that the soldiers would shoot to 
kill. 

That night the riot was nearly ended, for 
more troops had arrived and the police were 
again on duty. The next morning the bakers, 
butchers, and grocers resumed business. Those 
people who had not a good supply of provi- 
sions on hand had a hard time while the riot 

222 



The New York Draft Riots 

lasted, as not a single article could be pur- 
chased. For three days not a street-car or 
vehicle of any description could be seen on the 
streets, nor was a coloured person, male or 
female, visible during the period ; probably the 
only time in the history of New York that 
such conditions prevailed, for a New York 
negro, as a usual thing, is not very bashful 
about making his presence apparent to all w^ho 
come in contact with him. The Southern sym- 
pathizers were actually the ones who brought 
on that riot, for they were always up to some 
mischief, and a few months afterwards assisted 
Dr. Blackburn to distribute clothing infected 
with small-pox to the poorer classes in the city, 
but the plot failed. 

Next came the attempt to burn the whole 
city by starting fires simultaneously in differ- 
ent localities. Each of the firebugs carried a 
black satchel containing self-igniting chemicals, 
which were to be dropped on the stairways of 
the large buildings. Barnum's Museum was 
set on fire, and several other places also, with 
but little damage resulting, and, about that 

223 



The Story of a Strange Career 

time, any one caught with a black satchel 
would suddenly come to grief. 

My wife having recovered from her confine- 
ment, and the riot being ended, I went to the 
Brooklyn Navy Yard, and underwent a med- 
ical examination. Next, I was thoroughly ex- 
amined in navigation and then in seamanship. 
Having passed in all, I was ordered to return 
again in a few days and, in the meantime, to 
provide myself vrith the regulation uniform. 
My money was all spent by that time, so I 
borrowed enough with which to buy my new 
outfit. In due time, I received my appoint- 
ment as an acting ensign in the navy. The 
pay was thirteen hundred dollars a year. 
There were three classes of officers in the 
navy: first, the regulars; second, the volun- 
teers, composed of officers who had resigned 
previously to the war; and third, the acting 
officers who volunteered from the merchant 
service. The rank and pay was the same in 
all classes. I was at once ordered to the St. 
Lawrence, for instruction in gunnery. Quite a 
number of ensigns and masters' mates was on 

224 



The New York Draft Riots 

board, getting initiation as to liow a ship's bat- 
tery should be handled. The first day's exer- 
cise was sufficient for me; I was pronounced 
proficient and excused from further drill. The 
other officers were surprised at my learning my 
duties so quickly, but I never mentioned my 
experience on the gunnery-ship Excellent. 



225 



CHAPTEK XYIII 

ACTLN^G El^SiaJS" IN THE UN^ITED STATES NAVY 

Gekeral Canby, wlio commanded tlie troops 
in New York city, liad chartered six tug-boats 
for patrolling tlie river fronts, and each one had 
a howitzer and guns, in charge of an ensign. I 
was sent to take charge of the boat Eapid, and 
my instructions were to remain at Castle Garden 
dock and await orders. As there was no more 
rioting, my chance for killing a few rebel sym- 
pathizers was lost. One day a young man ap- 
proached me and inquired for the tug-boat 
Rapid, as he wished to see Ensign Thompson. 

" You are speaking to him now," I answered. 

He looked at me rather quizzically for a few 
seconds, and said his name was John Murray. 

" The fact is, you are living with my wife." 

" The devil I am ! " I replied. 

" Such is the case," he stated. " I was 
226 



Acting Ensign in United States Navy 

arrested and compelled to marry her, and, after 
living together for a year, she ran away from 
me in Canada and came to New York. Now I 
wish to get a divorce so that I can marry a girl 
to whom I am at present engaged." 

At first he talked of having her arrested for 
bigamy. I told him that even if he did that, 
he would still have to get a divorce, and that a 
man who would ruin a girl and then contem- 
plate sending her to prison was a contemptible 
cur. Finally it was arranged that the divorce 
notice should be served on her, and a decree 
asked for. My interview with Annie was rather 
stormy. I told her that I would not marry her 
again, but I would take care of her and would 
treat her as a wife as long as she behaved her- 
self. That was my last matrimonial venture ; 
and I was a man married to two women and 
yet legally a bachelor. 

About the 1st of September, General Can- 
by gave me orders to retui^n the howitzer and 
sailors to the navy yard, also for me to report 
to the St. Lawrence. In a few days I was 
ordered to Boston, to join the United States 
16 227 



The Story of a Strange Career 

brig Perry. On my arrival, tlie captain in- 
dorsed my orders as having reported. Next, I 
v^ent to the navy agent, and received two hun- 
dred dollars as advance pay and my mileage 
expenses from New York — twenty-one dollars 
and ten cents. All naval officers are allowed 
ten cents a mile when ordered to the different 
naval stations. The next day I reported as 
ready for duty. Being next in rank to the 
captain, made me executive officer. The Perry 
was the vessel I admired so much when in Kio 
de Janeiro. Now the circumstances were alto- 
gether different. It was a most undesirable 
vessel to be attached to in war times. There 
would be no chance of active service or prize 
money. The Perry's day had passed with the 
advent of fast steamers for blockade-running. 
In the early part of the war she captured the 
rebel privateer Dixie after a short engagement, 
and that was the end of her victories. And 
not one cent of prize money was ever credited 
to her account. 

The Perry was a man-of-war of the fourth 
rate, carrying ten broadside guns and one how- 

228 



Acting Ensign in United States Navy 

itzer. She was a very fast sailer, but very 
cranky or top-heavy, on account of the heavy 
battery on deck and her lofty spars. An act- 
ing master was in command. Under him were 
^ve acting ensigns and three active master's 
mates. Captain (by courtesy) William D. 
Urann was a thorough seaman, but a mighty 
mean person. He was a close-fisted down-East 
Yankee. I was the only ensign on the brig 
for about a month, the master's mates act- 
ing as watch officers. At last we got four 
other ensigns, and every one of them was my 
senior, so that fact dropped me to navigating 
officer. The commandant of the navy yard re- 
ported to the naval department that the United 
States brig Perry was ready for sea. Then the 
trouble began. Both officers and sailors were 
trying all kinds of plans to get transferred 
to some of the steam gunboats. Some of the 
crew complained about the foremast being 
rotten. The boss carpenter was sent on board 
to examine it. After boring a few augur holes 
in it he pronounced it sound. Then the crew 
had other complaints about the vessel. JSTow, 

229 



The Story of a Strange Career 

when a sailor gets to growling lie can do it to 
perfection, and the result was tliat tlie com- 
mandant sent a number of the growlers to the 
receiving ship, very much to their joy. They 
were all good seamen. In their place we re- 
ceived some very useless negroes to fill our 
complement of men. The officers complained 
of being sick, and everything else they could 
think of, so an extra ensign was sent on board 
to assist us. As that gentleman was my junior 
by a few days, he had to be the navigator and 
I became a watch officer. We were to pass 
many a day of misery together in Southern 
prisons. 

Very much to the commandant's relief and 
our own disgust, the anchor was weighed, and 
we set sail for Charleston, S. C. All went 
nicely until we got near Cape Hatteras, when, 
during a storm, some of the fore-rigging carried 
away. We all examined the parted stays, and 
pronounced them rotten, and the officers had 
quite a consultation as to what should be done 
under the circumstances. Finally, the captain 
said that if the six ensigns would go aloft 

230 



Acting Ensign in United States Navy 

and examine tlie rigging, and then make an 
individual report tliat the vessel was unsea- 
worthy, he would put back for New York. 
We gave our report in very quickly, and the 
brig was headed for Sandy Hook, N. Y. On 
our arrival at the navy yard, when the reasons 
for our coming into port were made known, 
there was a big rumpus, sure enough. The pre- 
sumption on our captain's part was simply enor- 
mous ! Had not the commandant of the Boston 
navy yard reported the Perry as ready for 
sea ? All the officers on the vessel got on their 
dignity, and we pointed to the rotten rigging 
to corroborate our opinions. The Navy Depart- 
ment ordered a court of inquiry, and all the 
ensio^ns were called before the court and in- 
dividually questioned in regard to seamanship, 
their experience on the ocean, and their reasons 
for stating the rigging to be unfit for sea. It 
happened, for a wonder, that we six ensigns 
were all experienced seamen, and much above 
the average. The questions were promptly an- 
swered, and rather plainly, too. The court 
was composed of regular officers, and some- 

231 



The Story of a Strange Career 

tiling must be done to exonerate the comman- 
dant at Boston. Volunteer officers were con- 
sidered as interlopers, and tolerated only as a 
necessity. Tlie result was tliat Acting-Master 
William D. Urann was deemed unfit to com- 
mand a vessel, and was detached from the brig 
Perry and ordered to repoii; for duty to the 
commandant of the Mississippi flotilla. He 
was there but a few weeks when his merits as 
an experienced officer were recognised, and he 
was promoted to acting lieutenant, ranking 
with a captain in the army. 

I may as well explain the grades of rank 
now : A captain in the navy has rank with a 
colonel in the army ; commander, with a lieu- 
tenant-colonel ; lieutenant - commander, with a 
major ; lieutenant, with captain ; master, with 
first lieutenant ; ensign, with second lieutenant. 

The fact of our captain being relieved did 
not prevent orders being issued to have the 
brig repaired, and the riggers from the yard 
came on board and made things lively for a 
while. 

In about a month's time we were ready, 
232 



Acting Ensign in United States Navy 

and started for Charleston. All went nicely 
until after we passed Cape Hatteras. I had an 
attack of some light fever, and was on the sick 
list. On board was a master's mate by the 
name of Bridges. He had been recommended 
for promotion to ensign, and ordered to Boston 
for examination, but, failing to pass, he was at- 
tached to the Perry, and every one on our ves- 
sel was desirous to assist him in gaining experi- 
ence. For that reason he was allowed to stand 
my watch while I was sick, and usually 
some of the ensigns would be on deck to see 
that everything was all right. But early one 
evening we had just finished supper, and all of 
us sat in the ward-room having a social chat. 
Feeling as if some fresh-air exercise would 
benefit me, I went on deck, and, looking to the 
windward, I saw that a heavy squall would 
soon strike us. Mr. Bridges was serenely 
promenading the deck, totally oblivious of any 
impending danger, while the brig was sailing 
close to the wind with every stitch of canvas 
set. I told Bridges to have the light sails taken 
in as quickly as possible, at the same time call- 

233 



The Story of a Strange Career 

ing his attention to tlie squall. No time was 
lost by me in getting to the ward-room, and in- 
forming the executive that he was needed on 
deck to have all hands shorten sail. While I 
was speaking, the squall struck us and nearly- 
capsized the brig, and it was hard work for us 
to get on deck, on account of the vessel careen- 
ing over so much. Then there was an exciting 
time ; the crew had become panic-stricken for a 
few minutes. Orders were given to let go 
everything. The pressure of the wind, the 
mast lying at such a great angle, prevented the 
yards from coming down. The wheel was in 
front of the cabin door, the excitement brought 
the captain out, and he yelled to put the wheel 
hard down. ISTow that was the first time that 
he ever gave an order on deck, and it nearly 
ended the Perry's career, then and there. 

The navigating officer has to stand regular 
deck watch mth the others while at anchor, and 
the executive is expected to be on board dur- 
ing the day and have charge of everything in 
general. One of the master's mates — not Mr. 
Bridges — was also put on watch duty, and, with 

234 



Acting Ensign in United States Navy 

six ensigns, our turn on watch was only four 
hours out of every twenty -four ; in fact, we had 
so much leisure time that we did not know 
how to pass it away. All the work required 
of the crew was to scrub decks before break- 
fast and a half -hour's drilling at the broadside 
guns. Arrants and myself would take a boat 
and crew and go fishing every pleasant day. 
Taking the sounding lead with us, we were 
soon able to find good fishing grounds. The 
bottom of the lead has a large hole that is filled 
with hard tallow — " arming the lead." When 
the lead strikes the bottom it will bring up 
anything that it comes in contact with, be it 
sand, mud, or gravel, and, if rocks, the tallow 
will bear the impression. By that means, it 
can be known to a certainty what the bottom 
is composed of in that locality. For fishing, 
we would sound until we found a bank com- 
posed of shells and gravel, and there we were 
sure of catching all the fish we wanted. 

Now, for our captain's mistake No. 2. 
He had gotten the idea into his head that 
we were not close enough to the land. The 

235 



The Story of a Strange Career 

weather had been quite pleasant and the sea 
smooth. An experienced seaman has no use 
for land unless it is in a secure harbour, and, 
much to our surprise, the captain ordered the 
sails loosened and the anchor weighed, and we 
stood in for the shore. The leadsman was con- 
tinually taking soundings and, when in three 
fathoms, the brig was brought head to wind 
and the anchor let go. There we were in eigh- 
teen feet of water, the brig's draft being twelve 
feet. This left just six feet of water between 
our keel and a nice hard sandy bottom. The 
captain was well satisfied with the vessel's po- 
sition, as he remarked that no blockade-runner 
could now pass without being seen. A few 
nights afterward his mind underwent a mighty 
sudden change, when a heavy gale came on 
from the eastward about midnight, and the 
waves got high and every few minutes the sea 
would lift us up, then let us down with a 
heavy thud on that " nice sandy bottom." The 
fact was we were anchored in the breakers. 
The top-sails were reefed and set, then the an- 
chor was weighed, the foresail was braced sharp 

236 



Acting Ensign in United States Navy 

up and back, so as to bring the vessel's head, to 
the southward, but it was of no use ; the brig 
would not swing around in the breakers but 
only drift astern towards the beach. The anchor 
was again let go, then a rope was put into the 
hawse-hole, the other end outside the port and 
fastened on the quarter-deck. The cable was 
unshackled at the fifteen fathoms shackle, the 
rope fastened to it, and the chain let run out of 
the hawse-hole. As the brig drifted astern the 
rope fastened on the quarter gradually tautened 
until the strain on the anchor checked us, al- 
lowing the vessel to swing around until her 
top-sails filled. A buoy was then attached to 
the rope and the latter let go. Away we went, 
leaving the anchor behind, and then came the 
hard work in earnest — beating off a lee shore 
in a heavy gale of vrind. When the gale was 
over we found our brig to the south-east of 
Charleston and a considerable distance from 
our station, so back we went as fast as the 
vessel would sail. While passing the en- 
trance to Charleston Bay we espied a small 
schooner stranded on the shoals. Here was 

237 



The Story of a Strange Career 

a chance to display our valour and zeal for the 
service. 

Arrants and I were in charge of the sec- 
ond cutter, with the boat's crew heavily armed. 
When we got on the shoals we found the " sus- 
picious " craft to be a small schooner of about 
fifteen tons. The sails were neatly furled 
and the cabin entrance carefully boarded up. 
There were neither cargo nor provisions on 
board, and on the stern, in freshly painted 
letters, was the name Old Abe, which we 
thought was strange for a rebel craft. There 
was not a house nor living being in sight in any 
direction, so we set fire to the mysterious craft 
and returned to the brig. 



238 



CHAPTEE XIX 

AFTER BLOCKADE-EUNNEES 

OiT arrival at Murrell Inlet, we souglit the 
wooden bnoy, and got it on board ; the line was 
put through the hawse-pipe, and we all tugged 
at it until we got hold of the chain, when that 
was put around the windlass and the anchor 
hove up. Having had enough of that locality, 
we anchored farther out to sea in deeper 
water. In a couple of weeks, our nearest 
neighbour, the gun-boat at Georgetown Bay, 
brought us our mail and some fresh beef. They 
had a tale of woe to unfold. It seems they 
had captured a small schooner and made use 
of it as a pleasure yacht. One night it had 
broken adrift and stranded on some sand shoals. 
They had intended, some pleasant day, to fasten 
a rope to it and have the gun-boat pull it off, 

but they sorrowfully stated that the " 

239 



The Story of a Strange Career 

rebs had burned it up." We badn't a word to 
say. It was tbe Old Abe. 

The enemy was in the habit of making 
night attacks on our vessels whenever they had 
the opportunity. It would have been an easy 
matter for them to send small boats and men 
fi^om Charleston overland and make things 
quite lively for us. To prevent any surprise 
party coming on board, we put up the " board- 
ing nettings " and kept men on guard in differ- 
ent parts of the brig. George Brinsmaid, one of 
the coloured men on board, was useless for going 
aloft, or anything else, for that matter, so he 
had extra guard duty to perform. He was 
given a loaded rifle and stationed at the port 
gangway. It made no difference how often the 
officer of the deck would go to him, that fellow 
was sure to be found asleep. I had bucketful 
after bucketful of water thrown on him dur- 
ing my watch, but it had no perceptible effect 
in keeping him awake, for he was constitution- 
ally sleepy. The fact that he was so useless 
formed circumstances which resulted in his 
death. 

240 



After Blockade-Runners 

I had become quite tired of doing nothing 
but fishing, so I asked the captain if I could 
take the " dingey," the smallest boat on a man- 
of-war, and with two men go into the Inlet 
on an exploring expedition. He was desirous 
to have me go and find out if any vessels were 
in there, and, selecting two volunteers from 
the crew, we were ready to leave the brig 
about daylight. The boat was landed close 
to the southern point at the entrance to 
the Inlet. I walked cautiously around the 
nearest house without finding any footprints 
in the soft, white sand. That convinced me 
that no one was in the house. Getting into 
the boat, I had the men row slowly into the 
Inlet, the high, dry, soft marsh grass concealing 
us from view of any one who might be in that 
locality. At the southern end of the Inlet we 
saw a schooner, which probably had run the 
blockade, and, as it was not prudent just then, 
we proceeded no farther in that direction ; the 
northern branch was also explored, but nothing 
was to be found there. We had been absent 
from the brig nearly four hours ; the captain 

241 



The Story of a Strange Career 

liad become uiieasy on our account and had 
taken the first cutter with an armed crew to 
look for us. We met him at the entrance to 
the Inlet. When told of what we had seen, 
he concluded to go ashore himself on the 
northern point. There we managed to shoot 
a couple of razor-back hogs that had been feed- 
ing on the beach. We raised such a rumpus 
that the rebel cavalry were making prepa- 
rations to give us a warm reception. Their 
camp was in the woods about a mile from the 
beach. We could see them saddling their 
horses and acting in an excited manner. We 
found out afterward that the rebels had only 
sixteen men in camp at that time. Having had 
all the fun and exercise we wanted on shore, 
and out of respect to the rebels, we got into 
the boats and returned to the brig. 

A few nights afterward, we discovered a 
boat nearing the vessel. Hailing it, we were 
informed that some refugees wished to come 
on board. Consent being given, they came 
alongside, and, after asking a few questions, 
we allowed them to come on board. There 

242 



After Blockade-Runners 

were eight men in tlie party, all desirous of 
joining the Federal army. Theii* boat being 
old and leaky, we destroyed it. They gave us 
what information they could about the rebels. 
Two regiments of Georgia cavalry were guard- 
ing the coast, being divided into squads of six- 
teen to twenty men each, each squad a couple 
of miles distant from the other. The schooner 
had run the blockade some time previous, hav- 
ing brought in a general cargo of merchandise. 
As we were anxious to know all about the 
schooner, it was decided that Ensign Arrants 
and myself should take. the first cutter, with 
the crew well armed, and land at daybreak on 
the beach. By walking across the land which 
separated the end of the Inlet from the beach, 
we would be safer than rowing the boat into 
the narrow Inlet. We landed without being 
seen by the rebels, and, getting on the schooner, 
we soon ascertained that preparations were 
being made to run the blockade vrith a cargo 
of turpentine. If we had only burned the 
old schooner there and then, it would have 
been a wise act on our part. As my instruc- 
17 243 



The Story of a Strange Career 

tions were not to destroy it, if there was any 
probability of its preparing for leaving tlie 
Inlet, I reluctantly ordered the men back to 
the boat and returned to the brig. A house 
was near the schooner in which was stored a 
large quantity of the turpentine, and some of 
the cavalry slept there, as we were informed 
by some of the refugees. By setting fire to 
everything we could have done considerable 
damage, besides capturing some prisoners. Cap- 
tain Gregory was in favour of letting the 
schooner run out and then taking her as a 
prize, for turpentine was very valuable at 
that time and prize-money would make quite 
an addition to our pay. 

About every week Arrants and myself 
would take a boat with six men and land on 
the southern point at the deserted house. By 
climbing I would get on the roof, and by the 
aid of powerful marine glasses I could see what 
progress was being made with loading on the 
schooner. Our last reconnoitring expedition 
nearly resulted in serious disaster. This time 
we had landed on the north point first. Arrants 

244 



After Blockade-Runners 

and I each had a rifle, but the six men form- 
ing the boat's crew were unarmed. While 
walking between the sand dunes, we espied a 
razor-back sow with two young pigs. I shot at 
the sow as she was running away. The bullet 
ploughed a deep gash in her back, which only 
increased her speed. We did not get her, but 
did capture the two little pigs alive. We were 
laughing and the porkers squealing, when I 
happened to look around and discovered a 
couple of mounted Confederates behind one of 
the sand dunes. They probably thought the 
boat's crew was armed, and for that reason did 
not attack it. However, w^e lost no time in 
getting into the boat with our pigs. The sand 
dunes are pyramids of sand from fifteen to 
twenty feet in height, and are caused by the 
strong winds drifting the dry, white sand on 
the beach. If those two men had had spunk 
enough, by keeping behind the dunes they 
could have made it very unpleasant for us in 
the boat, as the Inlet was not over fifty yards 
in width. We then landed on the southern 
point a distance from the house and, telling the 

245 



The Story of a Strange Career 

crew to row slowly up tlie beacli, pursued our 
investigations. We had reason to believe some 
one had been watching us, as there were fresh 
footprints in the sand leading from the de- 
serted building to the one near the schooner, 
about half a mile distant. 

When we got to the house I told Arrants 
that I would get on the house and take a look 
at the blockade-runner. The building stood 
on piles about six feet in height and, as the 
steps leading to the house were gone, it was 
necessary for me to do some climbing. I turned 
around to give my rifle to Arrants, and just 
then caught sight of about twenty cavalrymen 
coming from the other house towards us, and 
they seemed to be in a big hurry about it, too. 
We Yankees did not have any particular busi- 
ness to detain us there, so we made a hasty re- 
treat for the boat. The latter was about fifty 
feet from the shore. I told the men to pull in 
quick. Arrants and myself ran into the water 
about knee deep. We caught the boat and 
stopped it from coming any farther. My com- 
panion and I then got into the craft in a very 

246 



After Blockade-Runners 

undignified style for officers. If tlie enemy 
had come right up to us they could have cap- 
tured us without firing a shot, as we should 
have been perfectly helpless. Instead of doing 
so, they dismounted at the edge of the sand 
dunes and fired quite an assortment of lead at 
us from rifles, double-barrelled shotguns, and 
old-fashioned muskets carrying large bullets 
with three buckshot additional. They made 
us fellows feel nervous with their careless 
shooting. While the Southerners were shoot- 
ing, we had to turn the boat completely around 
and head out to sea. The man with the bow 
oar tried to push the bow around by putting 
the blade of the oar on the hard sandy bottom 
and shoving it, and was so energetic that the 
oar snapped in two. At last we got around, 
and for a few minutes some good sprinting was 
done. 

The coxswain in the stern then had the 
best chance of being struck by the bullets, and 
doubled himself in a way that would have 
aroused the envy of a contortionist. The men 
at the oars laid as low as possible for them to 

247 



The Story of a Strange Career 

row. I was shoved out at full length, shoving 
at the stroke oar while the men pulled. Ar- 
rants was doing the same thing with the second 
oar. My left cheek was badly stung in differ- 
ent places — I supposed at first by buckshot — 
but a rifle ball had struck the handle of the oar 
on which I was shoving, and, my head being 
close to it, the splinters from the dry ash wood 
had struck in my face. That bullet had just 
barely missed my head. As soon as we got out 
of the range of the buckshot, Arrants and my- 
self returned the fire with our rifles. The Con- 
federates then quickly took their horses and 
got behind the sand dunes. The battle was 
over. One of our men had his right eyelid 
grazed by a buckshot just enough for a single 
drop of blood to ooze out. A rifle bullet went 
through the stern of the boat, passing between 
the coxswain's legs, thence between the whole 
boat's crew, until it reached the man in the 
bow, where it passed his left side and elbow, 
removing some cuticle from each. That fellow 
was scared, sure enough, at first, but after we 
pulled his shirt off to stop the blood and found 

248 



After Blockade-Runners 

the skin was only peeled off, lie concluded to 
live a little while longer. It was a miracle 
that every one of us was not killed or seriously 
wounded. We were in a compact space and 
the enemy had nothing in the way of a coun- 
ter-fire to prevent taking deliberate aim. 

We got back to the brig, and handed up 
our prize pigs for Christmas gifts, then told 
of our adventure with the rebels. The boat 
was hoisted up and inspected. It had twenty- 
two buckshot marks, and was pierced through 
and through by six bullets. My face was badly 
spotted by the splinters from the oar. We 
were all congratulated upon our narrow escape. 
Captain Gregory vowed vengeance on the 
Southerners for their conduct, and, that night, 
plans were arranged for the next day to " carry 
the war into Africa." Then we went to bed, 
excepting those on duty. 

Next morning at eight o'clock we tried 
again and sailed as close to the beach as pos- 
sible and anchored. An officer was stationed 
aloft with a pair of marine glasses, that he 
might see over the sand dunes and have a good 

24:9 



The Story of a Strange Career 

view of tlie rebel scliooner. For three hours 
we tried to put a shell into the blockade-runner 
with our guns, but could not do so on account 
of the sand dunes interfering with our range. 
At twelve o'clock Captain Gregory decided to 
land a boat's crew ; and that was his mistake 
No. 3. We all well knew there would be re- 
sistance offered to our landing, under the cir- 
cumstances, but I received orders to set fire to 
the schooner, and therefore had nothing to say. 
Sixteen of the best men were selected and 
armed with rifles, and to each was also given a 
navy revolver, or else a boarding-pistol, carry- 
ing an ounce bullet. Arrants was ordered 
to assist me. The paymaster, a new officer 
from Boston, volunteered his services, for he 
thought he would have a picnic, and, besides, 
his admiring friends had presented him with 
an expensive sword and revolver, and these 
weapons he intended taking back home with 
him all covered with rebel gore. We three 
officers carried a whole arsenal — sword, rifle, 
and revolver. As we expected to meet not 
more than twenty Confederates, we felt confi- 

250 



After Blockade-Runners 

dent of victory, especially as we were better 
armed and could load our guns more rapidly, 
having improved cartridges. The enemy had 
to tear the paper on theirs with their teeth, 
while ours could be used without that process, 
as they were encased in combustible paper. 



251 



CHAPTEE XX 

A PEISONER OF WAR 

We, took the first cutter for a landing party, 
and the second cutter was manned with an 
armed crew of six men to take care of our boat 
while we were on shore. A small keg, filled 
with tarred rope yarns and a bottle of turpen- 
tine, was given to me with which to set the 
schooner on fire. I told Captain Gregory to 
send George Brinsmaid along with us to carry 
the keg, as he was of no use on the brig, and 
might be of some use on dry land. Every- 
body thought it would be a good joke, so Mr. 
Brinsmaid was ordered into the boat, and pro- 
moted to the ofiace of bearer of combustibles. 
My instructions were plain enough : " To land 
and set fire to the schooner and house, and do 
all the damage possible." * In case we were 

* It was denied afterward that any such order had been given. 
252 



A Prisoner of War 

attacked, we were to get behind the sand dunes 
and defend ourselves, while the guns on the 
brig would shell the rebels. 

All being ready, we started for the shore. 
Before landing, I had a long rope attached to 
the bow of our boat and fastened to the 
stern of the second cutter. When we got 
on shore, the second cutter towed our boat just 
clear of the surf, ready for us to get into in a 
hurry, \Yith the bow headed towards the sea. 
George Brinsmaid had the keg to carry, and 
was placed in the centre of the party. Then 
we started for the sand dunes, intending to 
carry desolation and dismay into the Southern 
Confederacy. 

When we got to the sand dunes, indications 
pointed strongly to the fact that we had got 
into a bad scrape. The sand was covered with 
a large number of horse tracks, as if a whole 
regiment of horses had been tramping around. 
I had not much time to take in the situation, 
as the enemy made a charge between us and 
the boats. They came in double file ; the left 
file came for us, the right going for the boats. 

253 



The Story of a Strange Career 

I looked at the brig, expecting to see the guns 
shelling the rebs on the open, but, much to 
my surprise, the captain had allowed the brig 
to swing around stern to shore, and not a gun 
could be brought to bear on the enemy. 

I told the men to get behind the dunes and 
fire only at the enemy nearest to them. We 
were scattered a few feet apart so as not to 
be in a compact body. The first man came 
into view just in front of me. He was riding 
to the top of the dune. Knowing that the 
rifle would carry high at such a short distance, 
I aimed low at his breast. The bullet struck 
him square in the forehead and the horse gave 
a Jump and threw him off, the body rolling 
down the steep dune to our feet. That checked 
the enemy for a few seconds, as they saw that 
it would be safer to attack us dismounted. 
For about -Q-ve minutes that was a warm place. 
Buckshot, bullets, and sand were flying in all 
directions. The party attacking the boat were 
unsuccessful, so they circled around and got in 
our rear. Then we were completely surround- 
ed and had to surrender. Two of the Con- 

25i 



A Prisoner of War 

federates were killed and several wounded, and 
besides, they lost three horses. On oar side 
two were killed, and nearly every one of us 
wounded. After we had surrendered, James 
Pinkham was lying face down on the ground, 
a bullet having passed through both of his 
hips, and, because he could not get up when 
ordered to do so, a rebel lieutenant shot him 
in the back with his revolver. A young Irish- 
man by the name of Tobin, belonging to our 
party, had reloaded his rifle and was standing 
close to Pinkham. The rebel lieutenant said, 

" You Yankee, come here and give up 

your arms ! " Tobin advanced with both hands 
stretched out, the rifle in his left and a board- 
ing-pistol in his right. When he got within 
about fifteen feet of the lieutenant, he blazed 
away at him with the pistol, dropped it and 
ran across the salt marsh to the woods, about 
half a mile distant. He missed the lieutenant, 
but killed his horse. A cavalryman started 
after Tobin and, when near to him, called him 
to halt. Tobin turned around and pointed his 
rifle at the man. The latter's gun being empty, 

255 



The Story of a Strange Career 

he halted, and off went the Irishman again for 
the woods. Another man started in pursuit 
with a loaded rifle, and, when close enough, he 
shot Tobin in the leg, and the poor fellow 
afterwards died in Andersonville Prison. 

The Southerners who did not come until 
the fight was all over, did all the blustering 
and had the most to say. They did certainly 
call us anything but gentlemen, and also were 
very indignant because Brinsmaid had been 

taken prisoner. " You Yankee , get 

in line there with your nigger brother ! " was 
the first order we got. We were taken to the 
edge of the woods and everything was confis- 
cated, whether of value or not. The enemy 
wrangled considerably among themselves, with 
the result that George Brinsmaid was taken to 
a tree about fifty yards from us, a horse's 
halter put around his neck, and he was hanged 
on one of the limbs ; then two charges of buck- 
shot were fired into his breast. The poor fel- 
low never spoke a word after leaving the brig. 
In the fight his left hand had been shot off by 
buckshot, but not a groan was heard from him. 

256 



A Prisoner of War 

Some of tlie Confederates proposed hanging 
all of us, on account of having a " nigger " 
with us, and, judging from what I had seen of 
their actions, I almost came to the conclusion 
that the proposition would be carried out. 
However, in a little while the excitement 
passed away and they began to be sociable. 
The wounded were all examined and wads of 
raw cotton put into the wounds. One man 
came to me with his left hand bandaged up. 
He inquired if I was badly hurt. 

" "Well," says he, " you're in luck to be alive 
now. I took deliberate aim at you as you 
stood with your back towards me while loading 

your rifle. My shotgun burst and blowed 

off three of my fingers, and that is what saved 
you." 

In his eagerness to kill a Yankee, he had 
put too heavy a charge in his gun, and it had 
burst just where he gripped the barrels with 
his left hand. My sack coat was cut in several 
places. One shot struck me in the arm near 
the shoulder and went about six inches between 
the muscles towards the elbow. That little 

257 



The Story of a Strange Career 

piece of lead has been my constant companion 
for just thirty-four years the 5th of December. 
I can always tell when wet weather is coming, 
by feeling a dull pain in my right arm. During 
the general conversation, I found out the cause 
of so many men being ready to receive us on 
shore. It seems that the first shell we had 
fired from the brig went very high over the 
schooner and landed in the camp in the woods. 
They were enjoying an after-breakfast smoke 
when it fell in their midst. It was laughable 
to hear them twitting each other about vacating 
their quarters. We could not make them be- 
lieve that it was a chance shot. They insisted 
that one of the refugees on our vessel had 
pointed out their camp to us. They also be- 
lieved that they had killed all the men but one 
in the boat the day before. Arrants and my- 
self told them that we were the two officers on 
shore, but they would have it that we were 
both killed. The continual report of our broad- 
side guns had been heard for quite a distance 
north and south of Murrell Inlet. All the 
rebel pickets thought that a blockade-runner 

258 



A Prisoner of War 

had been run asliore by tlie Yankees, so all 
hastened to the scene of action, especially as 
there might be a prospect of looting the vessel 
if ashore. When they arrived and found out 
the true state of affairs they concluded to re- 
main, in the hope that we would send men 
ashore to burn the schooner. There were pres- 
ent two companies of cavalry — one each from 
the Fifth and Twenty-first Georgia Regiments 
and under command of Captains Bowers and 
Harrison. There was where CajDtain Gregory 
made a blunder in sending us ashore after can- 
nonading the schooner. Instead of a few men 
to contend with, we had a force of one hundred 
and twenty to give us a warm reception, which 
they did in most orthodox style. 

If still living, one of those misguided men 
is telling his grandchildren how he captured 
my sword, for which I had paid twenty-five 
good dollars. The rifle and the revolver be- 
longed to the Government. 

At four o'clock that afternoon we started 
for Charleston, S. C. Those who were too 
badly wounded to walk were put in an old 
18 259 



The Story of a Strange Career 

wagon. Our boat's coxswain had been hit in 
the head with a number of buckshot. He must 
have had a tough skull, as the shot cut furrows 
in his scalp and removed some of his hair. The 
blood flowed very freely. He was compelled 
to walk the whole distance. We had a guard 
of ten men, under command of the lieutenant 
that Tobin had tried to kill. Well, that fellow 
made things as unpleasant as possible for us, in 
order to have revenge for the killing of his 
horse. The road was composed of white, dry 
sand, and at every step we took we would sink 
to our ankles. The cavalry horses were fast 
walkers, and we had to keep up with them. 
We came to a stream of cold water, and we were 
forced to wade through it. There was a foot- 
bridge for pedestrians on one side of the road, 
but we were not allowed to go over it. The 
cavalrymen got on their knees on the saddles, 
and their horses, plunging through the water, 
splashed it over our heads ; consequently, we 
got a good drenching. Walking was more diffi- 
cult for us weighted with water; besides, it 
was night-time, and in the month of December 

260 



A Prisoner of War 

— ratlier late in tlie season for a cold-water 
bath. 

At nine o'clock in tlie evening: we arrived 
at our destination, Georgetown Bay, having 
walked, or ratlier been driven, twenty-five 
miles in five hours' time. It was all we could 
do to keep up with the horses. A squad was 
in our rear with orders to run us down if we 
lagged behind. We were placed in an old log 
house, the floor being covered to the depth of 
two inches with sheep-manure. The wounded 
were laid in the filth, without anything being 
done towards making them comfortable. Two 
pailfuls of small, raw sweet potatoes were 
given us for our supper. That night, Decem- 
ber 5, 1863, will never be erased from my 
memory ; tired and sore in every limb, my feet 
badly swollen, the wounded arm hurting, wet 
and hungry, I lay down in the manure and 
tried to sleep, but could not; the cold and 
the wet clothes kept me chilled through and 
through. The poor fellows who were wounded 
were continually moaning, but we were power- 
less to alleviate their misery. 

261 



The Story of a Strange Career 

"We had plenty of reason for growling about 
the quality of our potato supper, but the fol- 
lowing morning's breakfast was omitted alto- 
gether. About nine o'clock we were divided 
into squads and taken across the bay in sail- 
boats. Those who were badly wounded were 
taken to the hospital; the rest of us were 
placed in the Georgetown jail, and a dirty 
room about twelve feet square was kindly 
placed at our disposal. At three in the after- 
noon we had breakfast, dinner, and supper com- 
bined. The menu consisted only of one dish — 
a pan of cold boiled rice. With a piece of 
stick it was cut into equal shares, and each 
man took his portion in his hand and devoured 
it at his leisure. We remained there five 
days. The only event of interest which oc- 
curred there was my being taken out to Gen- 
eral Tropier's headquarters. He asked a few 
questions about the gunboat which was block- 
ading the entrance to Georgetown Bay. My 
answers were rather evasive. Then I did some 
talking about the treatment we had received 
after being taken prisoners. He said that in 

262 



A Prisoner of War 

future we would not be abused while under 
Lis control. 

About four o'clock of the fifth day we 
were taken from the jail, and, with a cavalry 
guard, we were started for Charleston, S. C. 
It was a triangular journey. Straight down 
the coast Charleston was distant sixty miles, 
but the Yankees had the water routes, and 
consequently we had to walk forty-three miles 
west to King's Tree, the nearest railroad sta- 
tion. Thence, by railroad, we were taken sixty- 
five miles southeast to Charleston. Lieutenant 
Burroughs was in charge of the party. He 
allowed us to walk at an ordinary gait, and 
was very kind and civil to us. 



263 



CHAPTEK XXI 

IN THE PEISON 

At nine o'clock we arrived at tlie Black 
River Feny, where a halt was made for the 
night. We were then taken into the ferry- 
man's house. Lieutenant BuiToughs ordered 
supper for four. Arrant s, the paymaster, and 
myself were invited by him to supper. It was 
the only time I had a civilized meal while in 
the Confederacy. We all slept on the hard 
floor, a fire in the room keeping us warm. At 
daylight we crossed the river on a primitive 
ferry. A rope was fastened to each bank of 
the river, and an old-flat boat was held in place 
by it, and pulled back and forth by hand 
power. At noon we halted for a rest and 
to cook the dinner — some more boiled rice. 
Late at night we arrived at King's Tree. 
The next day, in the afternoon, we got to 

264 



In the Prison 

Charleston, and were at once given in charge 
of the provost-marshal. After the taking of 
our names and rank the party was separated. 
The sailors were escorted to the jail by a 
guard, and a young lieutenant very politely 
informed us that we would go with him by a 
different route, so as not to attract the atten- 
tion of the citizens. He took us through the 
burnt district. 

What a wonderful change there was since 
I had last been in that city ! All business was 
suspended. A large area was in ruins from 
the fii^e, grass was growing in the streets, and 
there was desolation everywhere. We could 
plainly hear the guns firing from our batteries 
on Norris Island. On arriving at the jail, the 
lieutenant shook hands with us and bade us 
good-bye. We were taken to the top floor and 
had an entire corridor to ourselves. There 
being about sixteen large cells, twelve feet 
square, we had plenty of room — in fact, each of 
us could have had an entire suite to himself 
had he desired it. 

Everything looked very familiar to me, as 
265 



The Story of a Strange Career 

it was tlie same place in which I was confined 
before my trial in 1856. The newspapers, giv- 
ing an account of our capture, stated that I 
was supposed to be the same George Thomp- 
son who had been tried in the United States 
District Court for murder a few years previ- 
ously. On account of the notice in the news- 
papers in regard to my being a prisoner of war 
and confined in the jail, a number of citizens 
visited me, but, having no permit from the 
commandant, they had their trouble for noth- 
ing. Major John Ryan, chief of subsistence on 
General Beauregard's staff, and an old friend of 
my father, was the only person allowed to see 
me. Our interview was quite sociable at first, 
then we gradually became belligerent, while 
conversing about the war and its issues. He 
had questioned me about my rank and the 
amount of pay I received in the Federal navy. 
Then the proposition was made that I join the 
rebel navy wdth the rank of lieutenant. When 
I refused, he became exceedingly wrathy. Fi- 
nally he cooled down a little, and said that Gen- 
eral Beauregard would send for me very soon, 

266 



In the Prison 

as he wished to have an interview with me. I 
replied that it would only be waste of time for 
him to do so. Now, from the questions that 
had been asked me, I knew exactly what the 
rebs wanted to know. They had sent out a 
torpedo boat to sink the Ironsides, but it was a 
failure. An ensign was killed by a rifle-bullet 
from the torpedo boat, but no damage was 
done to the ship when the torpedo exploded. 
Admiral Dahlgren had ordered a raft of tim- 
ber to be placed all around the Ironsides in 
order to prevent any more torpedo boats getting 
near enough to do any damage. The rebs 
could see with telescopes from Sumter that 
the Yankee sailors were hard at work around 
the ship, but could not find out what was being 
done. The Charleston papers stated that the 
Ironsides was in a sinking condition, and could 
only be kept above water by the use of heavy 
timbers. That same torpedo boat afterward 
destroyed the Housatonic, but the boat and 
crew were never seen afterward. In all proba- 
bility they blew themselves up at the same 
time. 

267 



The Story of a Strange Career 

General Beauregard retained all officers cap- 
tured by his troops in case he should need 
them as hostages. Consequently, Columbia, 
S. C, was to be our place of abode, instead of 
Libby Prison at Richmond, where the officers 
were generally confined. While in the Charles- 
ton jail we heard from our friends quite fre- 
quently. Gilmore's guns would send shells 
into the city. They sounded like a heavy 
wagon- wheel going over a rough pavement. 
Next would be a heavy thud, and, in a few 
seconds more, a terrible explosion. At first, 
percussion shells were used, but quite a large 
percentage of them would turn in their flight 
through the air, and as they would not strike 
fuse first, no explosion would take place. A 
lot of men were always watching for such 
shells to strike. With shovels and pickaxes 
they would dig them out of the ground. The 
rebel ordnance department paid one hundred 
dollars in Confederate currency for every unex- 
ploded shell delivered. The next move was 
for the Yankees to change from percussion to 
time fuses. The first shell did not explode on 

268 



In the Prison 

striking, so a crowd, as usual, started to unearth 
it. Quite a number of spectators were watch- 
ing the fun. Suddenly the operations were 
suspended. The time fuse exploded the shell, 
killing several persons and wounding a number 
more. Of course the Yankees were loudly 
cursed for playing such a mean trick, but the 
ordnance department got no more of our shells. 
The second day after our arrival a shell passed 
over the jail and landed in a frame building 
only a block distant. When it exploded, tim- 
bers and boards flew in all directions. We 
could see the dust and splinters in the air quite 
plainly from our window. Somehow, I felt 
pleased whenever one of those missiles came 
along, although we were liable to be killed at 
any time by one of them. 

Much to my surjDrise, a single mattress and 
blanket were sent up to me by some of my 
former acquaintances. I considered it only 
proper that such good fortune should be shared 
with Arrants and the paymaster, so we used 
the mattress for a pillow, and, by sleeping 
" spoon fashion," we made the blanket cover us 

269 



The Story of a Strange Career 

all. I may state now that it was tlie only time 
tliat we had a blanket during our entire im- 
prisonment. In all of that part of the building 
there was no furniture of any description. We 
had to utilize the floor for all purposes. Our 
food consisted of cold boiled rice, and was 
brought to us twice a day in a tin pan. Table 
etiquette was dispensed with for the time 
being, and our fingers had to be used for dis- 
posing of the food. The evening of the seventh 
day some of the provost guard took us to the 
railroad depot en route for Columbia. While 
waiting for the train to start, a couple of 
women got into conversation with us. They 
bade us " Good luck " and handed us each a 
quart bottle of corn whisky. The provost 
guard drank the most of it. At any rate, it 
helped to pass away the night in a cheerful 
manner. In the morning we arrived at the 
Kichland County jail, Columbia, S. C. That 
was to be our resting-place for several months. 
The following is the substance of the official 
report of our capture, etc., made to the Secre- 
tary of the Navy by Admiral Dahlgren : 

270 



In the Prison 

" Two boys who had been sent on shore in 
the dingey at Murrell Inlet for a barrel of sand 
for holystoning decks had been killed by the 
rebels. A few weeks later Acting Ensign 
Myron W. Tillson, wdth thirteen men, were 
captured at the same place while trying to 
burn a blockade-runner. Believing Acting 
Master Gregory to be a discreet and experi- 
enced officer, I sent his vessel to blockade the 
Inlet, also instructing him not to send any men 
on shore. Three officers and sixteen men were 
also captured from his vessel. I inclose his 
report. On a personal interview he claimed 
that his orders were not obeyed by Acting En- 
sign Arrants, and that the latter was respon- 
sible for the capture of the men. Having had 
so much trouble at Murrell Inlet, I decided to 
send a strong force of marines and sailors to 
that place to destroy the schooner and other 
property, as well as to remove any disposition 
to exult on the part of the rebels for capturing 
so many of our men." 

Then followed the report of the expedition 
as made by Acting Master Gregory, detailing 

271 



The Story of a Strange Career 

the amount of damage done. The Secretary 
of the Navy then issued the following general 
order, which was read at general muster on 
each vessel in the squadron : 

*' General Oedees, No. . 

"For flagrant disobedience of orders from 
his commanding officer and being responsible 
for a number of men having been captured by 
the rebels, Acting Ensign William B. Arrants 
is dismissed from the United States Navy. 
While the Department does not wish to dis- 
courage acts of gallantry or enterprise, strict 
obedience of orders must be insisted on. 
" Gideon Welles, 

" Secreta/ry of the Navy^ 

The whole blame had been put upon Ar- 
rants. Upon my arrival in Washington, I re- 
ported to the Secretary- of the Navy in person, 
giving him a full report of the whole affair in 
writing. He asked me a number of questions 
in regard to Captain Gregory. As the naval 
records showed that my commission antedated 
that of Arrants by about three months, it 

272 



In the Prison 

proved conclusively that Captain Gregory liad 
misrepresented when lie stated that the expe- 
dition had been commanded by Arrants. A 
great injustice had been done. An order was 
at once issued restoring Acting Ensign William 
B. Arrants to the naval service from the date 
of dismissal. 

Captain Gregory, in order to screen himself, 
had put all the blame on Arrants, supposing 
him to be dead. When he found out we were 
about to be exchanged he concluded that it 
was about time for him to resign from the 
service. By that means he escaped from seri- 
ous consequences which would have resulted 
from his conduct. The punishment meted out 
by court-martial was generally severe during 
the time of the Kebellion. 



273 



CHAPTER XXII 

PRISON LIFE AND PRISON FARE 

Eleven naval officers gave us a most cordial 
reception wlien the captain in charge of the 
prison introduced us as fresh fish. All were 
eager to learn the latest news of the war, and 
especially about the prospects of exchanging 
prisoners of war in the near future. Now it 
happened that we were well posted on the 
'' exchange " question — namely, that the author- 
ities at Washington had notified the rebels that 
the cartel was ended, and no more exchanges 
would be made. Our men, when received, 
were disabled from duty on account of sickness 
caused by lack of proper food and clothing, as 
well as inhuman treatment. On the other 
hand, the rebels were returned in better health 
and more comfortably clothed than at the time 
of capture. The advantage to the rebel army, 

274 



Prison Life and Prison Fare 

under the circumstances, would be too great 
to permit of any further exchanges. It was 
policy to let the Union men remain as prison- 
ers, as they would be useless for a long time 
for active duty. Keeping the rebels in prison 
would deprive the rebel army of a large num- 
ber of able men, who, released, would be im- 
mediately available for active duty. 

Our fellow-prisoners were down-hearted at 
first, when told the dictum ; but soon their 
cheerful remarks showed that they believed 
our Government was pursuing a wise course 
under the circumstances. The jail was a three- 
story building, the two lower floors being used 
exclusively for the confinement of debtors. 
The third story was fitted up with cells for 
the criminals. At that time there was no State 
prison in South Carolina. The longest sen- 
tence a prisoner could receive was two and one 
half years in jail. Murder, robbery, burglary, 
arson, and rape were punishable by death. A 
man whose punishment was commuted from 
death could only be confined for the maximum 
jail sentence. We fourteen naval officers were 
19 275 



The Story of a Strange Career 

confined in one room on tlie first floor. The 
size of tlie apartment was sixteen by twenty 
feet. When we lay on the floor at night there 
was but little vacant space. Sixteen army ofii- 
cers were confined in a room on the other side 
of the main hall. One half-hour in the morn- 
ing and in the afternoon was allowed us to go 
into the yard, in order to wash and attend to 
our toilet, and only four were permitted to go 
at one time. For that reason we had to be in 
a hurry, so as to give all an opportunity. When 
the half -hour had expired, we were counted and 
the door locked. The army officers were then 
let out for the same length of time. We re- 
ceived our rations every ten days, in an un- 
cooked condition. Unbolted corn-meal was the 
staple food. Two ounces of old, mouldy bacon 
was allowed each person for the ten days, that 
being the only animal food we received. Some- 
times a small quantity of rice was also allowed. 
In the yard was a small brick building used as 
a kitchen, where the cooking was done. Oppo- 
site, and extending the whole length of the 
yard, was an old wooden barracks in which 

276 



Prison Life and Prison Fare 

were confined about sixty privates. One pri- 
vate was detailed for the navy and one for the 
army officers. Not much skill was required 
for the cooking, but considerable ingenuity was 
needed to devise ways and means. In our 
mess the officers had managed to get a table, 
two long benches, ten pie-plates, and some 
knives and forks. Two meals a day was all 
that our rations would stand. This was our 
regular menu for about nine months for every 
meal: Corn-meal, slapjacks, corn-bread, corn- 
meal gravy, and corn-meal coffee. Our bacon 
was used for making the gravy and greasing 
the old tin pan which we utilized as a griddle. 
Corn-meal was burned nearly black for making 
the coffee. At one time our rations missed 
connections for nearly two days, and there was 
woe and agony. We divided the time about 
equally in damning the Confederacy and pray- 
ing for something to eat. There were two 
iron-barred windows in our room which over- 
looked the yard of our next-door neighbour. 
A man, wife, and little boy lived there. A 
passage way about twelve feet wide separated 

277 



The Story of a Strange Career 

the jail and a one-story cottage. One of our 
windows was exactly opposite their bedroom 
window, but both too high from the ground 
for the rebel sentry on guard in the passage way 
to see into either of them. Our neig^hbour's 
name was Crane. The family were strong 
Unionists, and we carried on a daily conversa- 
tion by slate-writing. All the latest news was 
given to us, as well as any information which 
we desired. 

Mr. Crane was a young man about thirty 
years of age, and he had a special permit 
from the rebel government exempting him 
from military service, on account of being a 
wagon-maker and needed by the citizens in 
Columbia to do their work. A girl about 
eighteen years old finally came to reside with 
the family. We immediately christened her 
"Union Mary," and kept that girl busy re- 
ceiving and throwing kisses at us. She 
seemed to have nothing else to do but to 
watch our window. As we had plenty of 
leisure time, some one of the party was con- 
tinually making distant love to her. At last 

278 



Prison Life and Prison Fare 

she let us know that she wanted to go North 
and live with the Yankees. Nearly all of us 
wrote a letter telling her how to get a pass 
through the lines and recommending her to our 
relatives. She succeeded all right. The father 
of one of the officers got her a good situation 
and gave her a fine start in life, out of grati- 
tude for the news which she brought him from 
his son. 

A few weeks afterward Mr. Crane was or- 
dered to report for military duty at Richmond. 
He and several companions got off the cars at 
the nearest point to our lines and were success- 
ful in getting through. The next we heard of 
him was through his wife, who said that he 
had reached New York city and was earning 
very high wages at his trade. 

A company of home guards, composed of 
fifty men under command of a captain, first, 
second, and third lieutenants, were our guar- 
dian angels. The guard-room adjoined ours on 
the first floor. Their camp was outside the city 
limits. Every morning, at eight o'clock, the 
relief would come in and remain on duty 

279 



The Story of a Strange Career 

for twenty-four hours. We became well ac- 
quainted with all, and were quite sociable. 
Three of the privates let us know that they 
were Union sympathizers. Many a favour 
they did for us, by assisting us to communicate 
with Union people in the city. In the month 
of March, 1864, all hopes of being exchanged 
before the ending of the war were given up. 
Every one of us was in favour of making an at- 
tempt to escape from prison, if possible. Lieu- 
tenant Preston and myself were to do the en- 
gineering part ; the others agreed to work under 
our instructions. Preston was a regular officer, 
and myself being a volunteer removed any 
cause for believing that any favouritism would 
be shown during the progress of building a 
tunnel. After eight in the evening the guards 
never opened our door. Then we commenced 
operations. 

A large brick fire-place was situated be- 
tween the two windows. The bricks on one 
end were taken up and a hole was made that 
allowed us to get under the floor. Preston and 
myself worked nearly all night. First, we 

280 



Prison Life and Prison Fare 

stopped up several ventilating holes with 
pieces of clay and brick. All the brickbats 
were piled in a corner to be out of our way. 
We found there would be plenty of space to 
pile up the dirt that would be taken from the 
tunnel, the height of the floor from the ground 
being about three feet. Directly under the 
window facing Crane's house we started a shaft 
three feet square. The dirt, as we removed it, 
was piled over the ventilating hole ; there being 
no danger of any noise being heard by the 
sentry in the alley or a light seen, we ceased 
operations for the night. The bricks in the fire- 
place were replaced, and we retired for the 
night to our luxurious couches — the bare floor 
— ^for much-needed rest. The entrance to our 
lower regions must be attended to first, as the 
bricks had a very insecure foundation. One of 
the guards very kindly consented to carry our 
compliments and a request to Mrs. Crane for 
the loan of a saw, hammer, nails, and a piece of 
board, as we wished to make a shelf. During 
the afternoon we had everything in readiness. 
The bricks were removed and put in a soap 

281 



The Story of a Strange Career 

box, cleats were hastily nailed to tlie floor tim- 
bers, pieces of board laid across, and the bricks 
replaced. Ashes were then filled into the 
cracks. It was a first-class job when finished, 
and we could defy detection. One of us went 
into the kitchen in the yard and stole our own 
poker from the cook. It was a piece of flat 
iron, and the only instrument procurable for 
excavating purposes. The officers were divided 
into working parties, two in each squad, each 
to work two hours at a time. Preston would 
direct and assist in the work, from eight until 
twelve midnight, and I from twelve to four in 
the morning. 

It was necessary to be careful about the 
construction of the tunnel, as it was to be run 
under a sentry's feet. If there should happen 
to be a cave-in and a reb drop down among the 
toilers, it would be rather embarrassing. Crane's 
house was built in the Southern style for all 
wooden buildings, resting on supports about 
two feet in height. Our objective point was 
about the centre of his habitation. We could 
crawl to the other side, and by getting over a 

282 



Prison Life and Prison Fare 

board fence would practically become " prison- 
ers-at-large." 

The ground was favourable for our work, 
being composed of stiff red clay. All felt 
happy and cheerful as the work progressed, 
and the monotony of being so closely confined 
was somewhat relieved. On the corner of the 
square in which the jail was located was the 
city hall. We could hear the hours and half 
hours as they were struck, quite plainly, so we 
had no trouble about the time of quitting work. 
It was necessary for us to have a point to start 
our measurements from, and after much discus- 
sion, we selected a window-sill in our room 
directly over the tunnel-shaft. It was a strange 
place to locate it, but from that point every 
part of the work was measured to an inch. By 
fastening a wad of wet paper to a thread we 
ascertained the exact distance between Crane's 
house and the inside of the jail wall. One of 
us held the thread on the window-sill while the 
other kept throwing the wad until it struck the 
clapboard. When the sentry walked past our 
window he gave us the opportunity, and, by 

283 



The Story of a Strange Career 

lowering tlie wad to the ground, we got the 
height of the passage-way which the sentry pa- 
troled. The shaft was sunk nine feet, and was 
considerably lower than the foundation of the 
building. Then the tunnel was started, being 
two feet wide and three feet in height, the top 
being arched. For a distance of fourteen feet 
it was perfectly level, then it was started on an 
angle towards the surface of the ground. 

About that time we had to stop operations 
for a few days. Orders had been sent by Gen- 
eral Beauregard to put Lieutenant- Commander 
E. P. Williams and Ensign Benjamin Porter in 
irons, and hold them as hostages for a rebel na- 
val lieutenant, who was sentenced to be hanged 
by the Federal Government for piracy on Lake 
Erie. Williams was selected as the highest in 
rank, Porter for the reason that he had the 
most influential friends. The two officers were 
shackled together, hands and legs, and were 
doomed to be inseparable companions for the 
time being, with a chance of being hanged. Not 
knowing but that the officers or guards might 
enter our room during the night to look at the 

284 



Prison Life and Prison Fare 

hostages, it was deemed advisable to leave the 
tunnel alone. The handcuffs and shackles were 
of the old style, shutting together by a spring 
bolt. To open them the key was inserted, and 
turnino; it a number of times would screw the 
bolt back. The key and spindle had threads 
cut like a commoli bolt and nut. Sailors under- 
stood the mechanism perfectly. By taking a 
piece of soft wood the size of the keyhole and 
boring a hole in the centre slightly smaller than 
the spindle, and twisting it around in the key- 
hole, threads would be cut in it, and the hand- 
cuffs opened. Another plan was to make a 
slip-noose of fine twine, and by slipping it over 
the spindle, the bolt could also be drawn back. 
During business hours our two unfortunate 
companions were fettered together, but the re- 
mainder of the time they could meander around 
separately. We had plenty of amusement in 
drilling them to get into proper position for 
being shackled as soon as there was any indica- 
tion of the door being opened. 

Supplementary orders soon arrived that Por- 
ter and Williams should be confined by them- 

285 



The Story of a Strange Career 

selves in a separate room. A small room next 
to that of the army officers was selected. Being 
on the first floor, it was an easy matter for us 
to release them when we were ready to escape. 
Work was at once resumed. Our greatest difii- 
culty was in getting candles enough to supply 
us with light. Finally, the last night's work 
was finished. The tunnel was twenty-two feet 
in length. According to our diagram we were 
six inches from the surface of the ground under 
Crane's house. We were afraid to make a 
small hole to the surface to make sure that our 
measurements were correct, for if there should 
be any depression in the ground, the first rain- 
storm would let the water into our excavation. 
We divided ourselves into parties of two or 
three, each to select our own route to the Fed- 
eral lines. A small school atlas was borrowed, 
and maps made of the different routes we in- 
tended to take. Lieutenant Brower, Arrants, 
and myself decided to go south twenty-five 
miles, and follow the Santee Kiver east to the 
sea-coast, then taking our chances of reaching a 
Federal gunboat. Corn-meal was baked brown, 

286 



Prison Life and Prison Fare 

and with a little salt added, by mixing it with 
water it would be ready for eating. Matches 
were put into bottles to prevent them from 
getting wet. In fact, all preparations were 
made for our Journey that we could think of. 

It occasionally hajDpens that people make 
fools of themselves in assisting others. Well, 
that is just what we did ; some of us thought 
it would not be right to leave the army officers 
behind. A vote was taken and all were in 
favour of giving the army officers a chance to 
go with us. They were notified and one week's 
time given them in which to get ready. They 
were instructed to be cautious, and that we 
would make an opening in their fire-place also 
as soon as Porter and Williams were released. 
The latter were to have the first chance for 
their liberty. 



287 



CHAPTEE XXIII 

DISAPPOINTMENT AND MOEE WAITINa 

About tlie second day afterward cu^cum- 
stances indicated that our intention to escape 
was known to the officers of the guard. They 
would come into our room, ostensibly for a 
friendly visit, but we noticed that they were 
examining the windows and floor while chatting 
with us. Within a foot of the building was a 
six-foot board fence, and that was taken away, 
giving the sentry on duty a full view of our 
side of the walls. Then we knew, for certain, 
that something was wrong. On Saturday 
morning permission was obtained to have the 
room floor scrubbed. Everything was piled on 
the table and a general housecleaning took 
place. All of us then went into the yard until 
the floor got dry. As we anticipated, the offi- 
cer on duty went into the room during our 

288 



Disappointment and More Waiting 

absence and gave it a thorougli inspection, but 
nothing was discovered. We congratulated 
ourselves upon the successful issue of our 
game of bluff. 

Sunday night, about eight o'clock, we heard 
an unusual noise in the guard-room, which 
sounded very much like sawing a hole in the 
floor. After a while the racket ceased, and we 
resumed our slumbers. Suddenly our room door 
was opened, Captain Sennes with several of 
the guards walked in, some armed with mus- 
kets and others with lighted candles. We 
were counted and reported as "all present." 

" Gentlemen, I have found your hole ! " was 
the startling announcement. 

The whole affair was so ludicrous and un- 
expected that we began laughing. Captain 
Sennes was excited, and well pleased with 
the idea of having discovered our plan of 
escape. 

"Now, gentlemen, I shall have to keep a 
guard in your room for the remainder of the 
night." 

Of course we had no objections. About 
289 



The Story of a Strange Career 

three o'clock in tlie morning lie changed his 
mind and ordered us to be escorted into the 
room occupied by Williams and Porter. All 
the little portable articles we possessed, which 
might tempt the cujjidity of the rebs, were 
hastily gathered up and our change of quarters 
soon effected. There was no more sleep for us. 
So much excitement in one night was too much 
for our delicate systems. 

In the morning Captain Sennes concluded 
to confine the navy and army ofiacers on the 
second floor. That part of the building was 
the " bull pen " for the conscripts. Every part 
of South Carolina was thoroughly searched 
for shirkers from military duty. The "poor 
whites," as they were called, would be taken 
from their families, manacled two together, and 
brought to the jail. When a squad of fifty 
was obtained, they would be sent to the front 
and distributed among different regiments. As 
a class they were very ignorant, but few of 
them knowing what the war was about. 

"What do you 'uns want to come down 
here and whip we 'uns for ? " was their only 

290 



Disappointment and More Waiting 

argument. But at the same time they would 
fight — there was no mistaking that fact. 

Our new quarters were very uncomfortable 
in many respects : there were dirt and filth 
everywhere. An old box-stove in a small room 
was our fire-place. The conscripts had no fire- 
wood, so they had used the doors and frames 
for fuel, then the window-sashes and casings 
were utilized, and next was the lath from the 
partitions. That floor had plenty of ventila- 
tion. No difference which way the wind would 
come from, we got the full benefit of it. The 
rooms were divided between us, the army 
taking one side of the building, the naval 
officers the other, the hall- way being used as a 
promenade by all the tenants. No attempt was 
made to keep us separate as in the past, for 
the reason that the doors and partitions were 
lacking. The view of the city in our locality 
was very good. When we got tired of looking 
from one side of the building we could cross 
over and take a view in the opposite direction. 
The newspapers had blood-curdling articles in 
regard to our attempt at escaping. We were 
20 291 



The Story of a Strange Career 

alluded to as " Yankee hirelings/' and other pet 
names were bestowed upon us. Even poor 
Mrs. Crane got a roasting because her house 
happened to be over the exit of the tunnel. 
Quite a number of visitors came to the jail to 
view our work, but finally the whole affair 
became stale and forgotten. Then it occurred 
to Captain Sennes that it would be quite proper 
to plug the hole up. He was very anxious to 
know who engineered the work, but, very natu- 
rally, every one was bashful about claiming 
that honour. At last he unbosomed himself: 
"Gentlemen, as you constructed the tunnel, 
probably you can inform me how to fill it up." 
Now that question was a poser to all of us. A 
great many suggestions were made, but all 
proved unsatisfactory. Finally, the captain 
had the shaft filled up with brickbats and 
broken bottles. In the passage-way between 
the two buildings they dug down to the tunnel 
and put in a load of clay. With every rain- 
storm the clay would settle and leave a big 
hole. From observation and much debating 
on the subject, it was conceded that the proper 

292 



Disappointment and More Waiting 

plan would have been to dig it up from end to 
end. Our new quarters were quite uncomfort- 
able. I devised all sorts of schemes to keep 
myself warm at night. Sleeping on a bare 
floor, the lack of blankets, and the cold wind, 
made a combination which it was useless to 
contend against. All I could do was to wait 
patiently for daylight, and then, by walking 
and exercising, get myself warmed up. 

The sixty privates in the yard also caught 
the tunnel mania. The barracks had a wooden 
floor. Two boards were removed, and an ex- 
cavation made to the rear of the building. The 
exit was in an adjoining garden. Not much 
skill in engineering was displayed on their part. 
They simply dug until they felt like stopping. 
The distance from the surface was ascertained 
by pushing a stick up through the ground. It 
was left there projecting above the surface. 
We were informed of their plans and inten- 
tion to escape that night. It seems that Cap- 
tain Sennes was also fully posted as to what 
was going on. A number of the rebs were 
stationed in the garden. The stick projecting 

293 



The Story of a Strange Career 

from the ground indicated tlie place from which 
the prisoners would emerge. Orders were given 
to let a number of the Yankees come out, then 
to fire into the crowd and kill as many as pos- 
sible. Fortunately, the first man to come out 
— Peter Keefe — happened to see one of the 
rebs. He gave the alarm to his companions. 
Being still on his hands and knees, he thought 
his best chance would be in making a bold run 
for liberty. As he jumped up a reb fired, the 
bullet shattering Keefe's left knee. The leg 
had to be amputated. The next day all the 
privates were removed from the yard and con- 
fined with us. That made affairs still worse, 
there being hardly space enough for us to lie 
down at night. Two escaped prisoners from 
Andersonville were added to our numbers. 
They arrived late at night, and, as it was dark, 
we could not see what they looked like. The 
lieutenant of the guard asked us to find a place 
for them to lie down. Brayton slept on the 
table. Calling the men, he said they could find 
room enough underneath. 

After daylight we gathered around our new 
294 



Disappointment and More Waiting 

companions. They were still handcuffed to- 
gether. It was a pitiful sight to look at them, 
dirty and ragged, with their ankles swollen up 
by scurvy. The face of one of them was badly 
swollen, and covered with pustules. The sur- 
geon was at once sent for. He pronounced it 
to be small-pox. The sick man was sent to the 
pest-house ; his companion was isolated in the 
barracks. The first one finally recovered, but 
his companion caught the infection and died. 
In a few days Brayton showed symptoms of 
small-pox, was removed to the pest-house, and 
also died. William Brayton w^as a sail-maker 
in the United States navy ; his rank was that of 
warrant ofiicer, a distinct grade from the line 
or staff officers. He was wounded and taken 
prisoner during the midnight surprise attack 
on Fort Sumter by the navy. A bullet had 
shattered his right forearm, and also went 
through the fleshy part of his right leg. Fortu- 
nately Captain Sennes realized the danger of hav- 
ing the officers and privates confined together. 
Besides, it was not a customary thing on 
either side, and, consequently, the privates were 

295 



The Story of a Strange Career 

returned to the barracks in the yard, mucli to 
our satisfaction. They had the freedom of the 
yard nearly all day^ which made them satisfied 
with the change. 

I commenced to feel sick and discouraged, 
and had an inclination to lie on the floor con- 
tinually. The surgeon examined me and gave 
me some quinine pills, saying that I probably 
had malarial fever. For several mornings he 
visited me, and was very particular about look- 
ing at my tongue. Finally a peculiar white 
mark showed on the tip end. There was no 
mistaking that mark. I had typhoid fever. 
Orders were given to send for the ambulance, 
and have me taken to the hospital. A large 
church on the outskirts of the town was to be 
my future abode. It was called the Second 
North Carolina Hospital. Why it received that 
name I could never find out. Opposite to it was 
the beautiful mansion and grounds belonging 
to General Wade Hampton, the pride of South 
Carolina. That misguided hero went through 
the war all right, only to lose a leg afterward, 
most unromantically, by a kick from a mule. 

296 



CHAPTEE XXIY 

A CRACKER BEAUTY 

A PAROLE was made out for me to sign, but 
it was very difficult for me to sign my name. 
I managed to keep on my feet for a few hours, 
and the change and novelty seemed to give me 
strength. Early in the evening I undressed 
and got into bed, and there I remained for six 
weeks. Surgeon Thompson told me I had the 
" slow " typhoid fever, that I would have to be 
very patient, and not to worry. Most of the 
time I was in a stupor, but had a dim conscious- 
ness of what was passing around me. One of 
the privates from the yard had the fever. He 
arrived a few days after myself. Milk punch 
was given to him ; within a week he died. My 
treatment was different. The medicine tasted 
like turpentine and camphor. But no milk 
punch was given me at any time. At last the 

297 



The Story of a Strange Career 

fever broke and I slowly recovered. Large 
bed-sores made their appearance on botb hips. 
In fact I vras sore all over from lying in bed 
such a long time. At a distance of twenty-five 
feet every object would quadruple to my vision. 
If there was one man, I would see four. Any 
object hanging on the wall especially strength- 
ened the optical delusion. 

When able to sit up on my bed I would 
talk to Peter Keefe. His cot was just across 
the passage-way from my own. The amputa- 
tion was skilfully done, but it took a long 
time for the stump to heal up. He did not 
care so much for the loss of the leg as he did 
for the failure of the plan to escape. 

Two "Cracker" girls swept the basement 
floor and brought us our food. They may have 
been styled nurses on the pay-rolls for all I 
know. However, I made a great mistake in 
not making love to both, comparing them to 
angels, and trying to make them believe that 
they had saved me from an early grave. In- 
stead I w^ould make critical remarks about 
their lack of charms to Keefe, in their pres- 

298 



A Cracker Beauty 

ence. Tlie younger one was about twenty 
years of age. She wore low calfskin shoes and 
white stockings which needed a good washing. 
Many of my remarks referred to their soiled 
condition. While manipulating the broom she 
displayed wonderful talent for going to sleep. 
About every tenth movement she would stand 
still, resting on the broom-handle, and take a 
short nap. Then would follow another few 
strokes and more nap, the same routine con- 
tinuing until the job was finished. 

The hospital steward was also of the 
" Cracker " type, and a most devout Methodist. 
Somehow we were not bosom friends. He was 
very much afraid I would say something to 
shock the "sweeping beauty." Finally I got 
tired of his infernal canting and tersely told 
him to go to the devil, advising him at the same 
time to marry the girl with the dirty stockings, 
as I was very certain he was the right man for 
the husband. Events were quiet for a couple 
of days. Hostilities soon broke out. The 
doctor had ordered a soft-boiled egg to be 
given me. Beauty brought it to me in a glass 

299 



The Story of a Strange Career 

tumbler and skipped away in a hurry. There 
was more salt than egg. Fortunately, she had 
not stirred it up, so I skimmed off the egg 
carefully and ate it. Then I gazed at the 
tumbler. There was at least one inch of solid 
salt in the bottom. Keefe had been watching 
me and was highly amused. But Beauty dis- 
creetly kept out of my way for the remainder 
of the day. I informed the surgeon that I was 
very dainty about eating eggs and preferred 
them served in the shell; so that salt racket 
was stopped. I will always believe that 
Beauty and her acting husband put up a job 
on me. 

A very angular woman with sanctimonious 
visage and a huge Bible in her hand squatted 
herself by my bed. The way she read the 
Scriptures to me would make a dead man turn 
over in his coffin. In about five minutes there 
was war in earnest. The surgeon happened to 
come in just then and ordered her out of the 
hospital. The next episode was through a 
friendly German. He was a sailor, and, being 
in one of the Southern ports during the early 

300 



A Cracker Beauty 

part of the Rebellion, he, like many other sail- 
ors, was forced into tlie rebel army. In one 
of the battles he had been wounded by a piece 
of shell. As he was now convalescent, he was 
at leisure to go where he pleased. He spoke 
about the large quantities of blackberries that 
were to be found in the woods. I asked him 
to bring me some the next time he gathered 
any. While taking a morning nap a plate of 
nice, large blackberries had been left on the 
table at my bedside. When I awoke I was 
perfectly delighted at the sight. I had been 
craving for fruit for some days past. They 
seemed too nice to eat. Temptation was strong, 
however, and I picked u]3 a single berry and 
put it in my mouth. My intention was to eat 
the whole plateful — one at a time. The sur- 
geon just then passed near me. 

" Well, surgeon, this is a great treat," I said 
to him. He seemed quite nervous when he saw 
the berries. 

" How many have you eaten ? " 

" This is the first one," I replied. 

"Well, that is lucky for you. Had you 
301 



The Story of a Strange Career 

eaten twelve of them, you would have been a 
dead man inside of twenty-four hours." He 
asked who gave them to me. Well, that I 
knew nothing about, as I 'was asleep and sup- 
posed that Beauty had left them for me. He 
took away the plate and went after Beauty. 
My German sailor friend was not found out, 
but the chasm between Dirty Stockings and 
myself was greatly widened. 

I soon became convalescent. A reb with a 
loaded musket escorted me back to my old 
quarters in the jail. My fellow-prisoners gave 
me a cordial reception. It was at one time 
thought by them that I would remain perma- 
nently in the South. All monotony in our 
prison life was now over. Exciting news was 
heard every day. Sherman's army was march- 
ing through Georgia. The rebs were drawing 
our troops away from their base of supplies. 
All the " invading hirelings " were to be killed, 
gobbled up, and other dire calamities were to 
befall them. Wheeler's cavalry went howling 
through Columbia on their way to annihilate 
Sherman's ^^ bummers." The citizens cheered, 

302 



A Cracker Beauty 

and the ladies waved their handkerchiefs and 
threw kisses at them. Those fellows were go- 
ing to raise sure enough. We had a good 

view of the whole proceeding from our window. 
A few cat-calls were given by us to help along 
the excitement. Not many weeks afterward 
that same cavalry went through Columbia 
again, but their noses were pointed in the oppo- 
site direction, with Sherman's cavalry not many 
miles in the rear. Those gallant defenders of 
the South looted all the stores on Main Street, 
and carried all they could conveniently get 
away with. No ladies threw kisses at them 
that time. 

The Yankee officers confined in Libby 
Prison were removed to Charleston and placed 
under the fire of the Federal guns in hopes 
that the shelling of the city would be stopped. 
Through some means, the locality in which the 
prisoners were confined was made known to 
the Union troops, consequently none were 
killed. Several changes of localities were 
made, always with the same result. Finally 
the rebel provost-marshal and several of his 

303 



The Story of a Strange Career 

guards were killed by Yankee shells, and then 
the prisoners were all sent to Columbia and 
confined in a stockade on the other side of the 
river — " Camp Sorghum," as it was christened 
by the Yankees, The prisoners at Anderson- 
ville were hastily sent to different parts of the 
Confederacy to keep them out of reach of Sher- 
man's troops. 

" Gentlemen, there ^vill arrive this evening 
one hundred and seventeen Yankee officers, 
and arrangements will have to be made for 
them to share your quarters," was Captain 
Sennes's announcement. 

We made hasty preparations to receive the 
^^ fresh fish." They ranked from second lieu- 
tenant up to colonel. Such a motley and reck- 
less lot I never met before. All had been cap- 
tured inside the rebel forts when the mine was 
exploded at Petersburg. We were uncomfort- 
ably crowded for room with so many men, and 
Captain Sennes proposed to the old prisoners 
that we should sign a parole and return to our 
quarters on the first floor. We readily agreed 
to it. On our part, we were not to escape by 

304 



A Cracker Beauty 

tunnelling, or from the yard ; on their part, our 
door was to be left open, with liberty to go 
into the yard when necessary, and also one 
hour in the morning and afternoon for recrea- 
tion. 

Williams and Porter had been released 
from irons. The six officers highest in rank 
among the new arrivals were assigned to the 
rooms which they had vacated, and granted the 
same privileges as we. On Main Street was 
the printing establishment of Ball &> Keating. 
The building extended across the rear of our 
yard. We were greatly surprised to see a 
number of young ladies taking a good view of 
the prisoners from a second-story window. The 
rebs had gotten scared, and had moved the 
Bureau of Printing and Engraving from Rich- 
mond to Columbia. Ball &> Keating's estab- 
lishment was selected for the printing of the 
Confederate currency. The money was not 
worth stealing. An ordinary burglar could 
have taken away a cart-load of the notes. At 
night the money was left loose in the different 
rooms, the same as a lot of hand-bills in a com- 

305 



The Story of a Strange Career 

mon printing-office. The lady employes, as a 
means of recreation, would gaze at the Yankee 
hirelings in the prison-yard. A number of the 
privates had no coats or shirts, and were bare- 
foot. The sight must have been very inter- 
esting. 

When the officers were in the yard the 
privates had to remain in the barracks. That 
was the time that those young ladies from Vir- 
ginia showed their good breeding. If one of 
us happened to get within spitting distance of 
a window, up would go their noses and down 
would come the saliva. At first we were in- 
clined to be angry, but that was just what 
those females liked, so we changed our tactics, 
and threw kisses back when they spat. By 
that means the spitting was stopped. Every 
day we would hear exciting news from differ- 
ent sources. 

What interested us most came direct from 
the Secretary of the Confederate navy. He 
authorized some gentlemen to make arrange- 
ments for a special exchange of prisoners. They 
called upon us and made the proposition that 

306 



A Cracker Beauty 

two naval officers should be paroled and sent 
to Washington to see if an exchange of naval 
prisoners, regardless of rank or numbers, could 
be effected. Lieutenant-Commanders Williams 
and Prendergast were given the mission. Both 
were given paroles for thirty days. If our Gov- 
ernment consented to the proposition, they were 
to remain North; if not, they were to return 
to Richmond within a specified time. All the 
necessary documents were given to them, and 
they were started for Richmond the next day 
and taken to our lines on a flag-of-truce boat. 
Inside the thirty days we were notified that 
the exchange would be made. Great was the 
joy among our party at the prospect of soon 
returning home. It was soon known in Colum- 
bia that we were to be exchanged. Then I 
became mixed up in a mysterious affair which 
I have never been able to solve. Captain Sen- 
nes came to our room with a woman. 

"Mr. Thompson, this lady has an order 
from the commandant to see you." 

He then went out. The lady introduced 
herself as Mrs. Hall, of Washington, D. C. She 
21 307 



The Story of a Strange Career 

had been South during the war ; her husband 
was in Washington, and she had not been able 
to hear from him, and "would I be kind 
enough to deliver a letter to him ? " 

" Certainly." I was willing to help her in 
any way possible. We conversed a short time 
on ordinary topics. 

" Do you know Colonel Dent ? " 

" No, I have never heard of such a person." 

"Why, he is General Grant's brother-in-law, 
and is confined in this jail." 

" Well, that is news to me. No one ever 
knew of his being here." 

"It is a fact. He is confined on the top 
floor with the criminals, and I see him very 
often. He gave me a number of letters which 
he wishes taken to General Grant. Will you 
take them?" 

" Yes, provided you answer a few questions. 
How did you know my name ? " 

" Through a lady who knew you while you 
were in the hospital." 

" Why do you select me to carry letters for 
a man about whom I know nothing 2 " 

308 



A Cracker Beauty 

" Because you were recommended to me." 
"Very well, I will take them, provided I 
am allowed to know their contents. It seems 
strange to me that Colonel Dent should be con- 
fined in this jail as a criminal and not one of 
us Yankee prisoners know anything about it." 

She assured me that he was Grant's brother- 
in-law, and had been arrested for some transac- 
tion about a plantation near New Orleans. There 
were several letters in the package, a petition 
to the Governor of Wisconsin, and a long letter 
written in short-hand. " He was a good Demo- 
crat, a loyal citizen. — See that my land in Wis- 
consin is not sold for non-payment of taxes," 
are some of the extracts. The others related 
to family affairs. The short-hand notes I could 
not read. What the petition was for I have 
forgotten. Mrs. Hall then presented me with a 
finely embroidered silk tobacco-pouch. Thank- 
ing me for my kindness, she bade me good-bye. 
When, afterward, I thought the affair over, I 
came to the conclusion that the letters were 
only a subterfuge to draw my suspicions from 
the short-hand notes. Not a word had been 

309 



The Story of a Strange Career 

said in the letters about the cause of his arrest 
or about his being confined as a criminal. As 
I had promised to deliver the packet, I con- 
cluded to take the risk of getting myself in 
trouble with the Confederate authorities. They 
had a habit of searching the prisoners before 
crossing the line.* 

* A number of years afterward, I was confined in the prison 
in Jefferson City, Mo. At that place guards were kept on the walls 
night and day. Convicts were selected as night watchmen for the 
different shops. It was my good fortune to be watchman in the 
saddle-tree shop. At that time Colonel John A. Joyce and General 
Williams — members of the Whisky Ring during G-rant's admin- 
istration — were serving a sentence of two years each. Joyce was 
cell-housekeeper in the negroes' building during the daytime, and 
Williams was storekeeper. Every evening they would come to 
my shop, and a pot of good coffee would be cooked on the stove. 
A couple of hours would be pleasantly passed in talking over 
past events. Generals Grant and Babcock were frequently men- 
tioned in connection with the Whisky Ring. I told them all 
about Colonel Dent's being confined in the Columbia jail, and 
asked if they knew anything about the circumstances. Both of 
them commenced laughing ; then the subject was dropped. 



310 



CHAPTEK XXY 

LIBBY PEISON 

Squads of naval prisoners frequently passed 
througli Columbia on their way to Richmond. 
At last orders were given for us to be ready 
at four o'clock the next morning. There was 
no sleeping that night in our room. Four of 
the guards were detailed to escort us to Libby 
Prison. As we left the jail, the army officers 
came to the windows and gave us three cheers 
and a " tiger." They little imagined then how 
soon they would have their own freedom. It 
was not lono; afterward until Sherman's ^' bum- 
mers" captured the city. The prisoners es- 
caped from the jail before the rebs could re- 
move them. As our troops entered the city 
the ex-prisoners found plenty of willing hands 
to 'help them set fire to the jail, city hall, and 
treasury buildings. 

311 



The Story of a Strange Career 

The first part of our journey was made in 
passenger coaclies. In North Carolina we were 
changed to box-cars. When we got to Vir- 
ginia travelling became worse ; the train had to 
move very slowly. The Yankee cavalry had 
destroyed all the roads as much as possible. 
At one place, for a distance of thirty miles, 
not a house or a fence -rail could be seen. 
Twisted railroad iron was quite abundant. 
The only wood visible was the stumps of tele- 
graph-poles in the ground. We Avere eight 
days in getting to Richmond, and well tired 
out with the trip. We were taken to the 
provost-marshal's office and thence to Libby 
Prison. Our squad was the last to arrive. 
About seventy-five officers and ^ve hundred 
sailors and marines comprised all the Yankee 
naval prisoners. The sailors were confined at 
the extreme end of the building, a brick wall 
separating us. We had plenty of room for 
exercise in that big warehouse. The army offi- 
cers had not taken all their companions with 
them when they went to Charleston, as we 
soon found out to our dismay. Every crack 

312 



Libby Prison 

in the floor of that prison was filled with 
vermin, and the largest and finest specimens of 
the pest that conld be found in the whole 
United States. In Columbia we had not been 
troubled with vermin, but in Libby it was im- 
possible to get rid of them. The most of our 
spare time was devoted to hunting for game in 
our clothing, and no one ever complained about 
having bad luck. We were expecting almost 
hourly to be put on a flag-of-truce boat. Day 
after day passed, with no signs of our leaving. 
An old negro who brought in our rations of 
corn-bread informed us that the exchange might 
not take place, as Ben Butler was doing all he 
could to prevent it. General Ben Butler, or 
" Beast Butler," as he was called by the rebs, 
had command of the troops at City Point. 
Through neglect on his part to carry out the 
plan of the campaign he got "bottled up" 
by the rebels and probably prolonged the 
war. We had positive information that the 
naval rebel prisoners were on the boat at 
City Point, but why Butler should interfere 
was an enigma to us. It was a peculiarity 

313 



The Story of a Strange Career 

of his to be always on the wrong side of 
tlie fence. 

Master's Mate William Kitching, being de- 
sirous of having conversation with one of the 
boat's crew, had removed a couple of bricks 
from the partitions which separated the officers 
from the sailors. He told some of the men to 
pass the word for all of his men to come to 
the aperture. Much to his surprise he was in- 
formed that all the men belonging to his boat 
had died at Andersonville. ISTot one of the 
thirteen sailors were living. The other officers 
went to the hole and called for their men also. 
Only a very few answered to their names. Out 
of the sixteen sailors captured with me only 
three answered. About seventy-five per cent 
of the sailors had died in the different prisons. 
What puzzled us all was the fact of there 
being so many prisoners that none of us could 
identify. The men must have had consultation 
among themselves, as during the afternoon the 
situation of affairs was fully explained to us. 
Information had been received at the different 
prisons that the sailors were to be exchanged. 

314 



Libby Prison 

They originated a plan to help all the soldiers 
possible. Sailors gave their most intimate 
friends the names of their deceased shipmates, 
the names of the ships, where and when cap- 
tured, the names of the officers, and, in fact, 
all information that would be useful. The 
scheme had been successful, so far. They were 
told to continue the deception, and the officers 
would assist them in doing so. We had been 
in Libby three weeks and nothing definite was 
known, and we might go back South for all 
we knew. 

About nine in the evening the stairs lead- 
ing to the second floor were lowered."^ One 
officer was called by name and taken into the 
office, and when he returned another was called 
and so on, until all of us had been interviewed 
by the notorious Major Turner. The name of 
our ship, where and when captured, how many 
men we had, and a lot of other questions were 
asked. That racket continued until about three 
o'clock in the morning. Each of us had asked 

* The stairs were hung on heavy hinges, and every night they 
would be hoisted up by a pulley, similar to a trap-door. 

315 



The Story of a Strange Career 

Mm about our prospects of being exchanged. 
" Tliat is an affair about which I know noth- 
ing," was his answer. Of course, none of us 
thought about sleeping that night. Walking 
the floor and discussing the situation suited us 
better under the circumstances. About four 
o'clock there was more excitement. A day's 
ration of food was issued to each one. It con- 
sisted of two small pieces of corn-bread, and of 
mighty poor quality. At ^ve o'clock that 
evening, Major Turner, and his equally notori- 
ous clerk, Ross, came to the head of the stairs. 
Our names were called, and each one sent 
down to the hall. An engineer's name was 
called, but that gentleman was ordered to stand 
by the door. When the list was exhausted the 
door was locked and the engineer left in the 
room. It was afterward learned that he stated 
to Turner that he belonged to an army trans- 
port. We were formed in line, in squads of 
four, facing the door. At six o'clock in the 
evening the doors were opened, and the order, 
^' Forward, march," given. 

Outside was a strong escort of rebels. Our 
316 



Libby Prison 

hearts were fairly in our moutlis for a short 
time. If we turned for the left it would be 
for the flag-of -truce boat; if to the right, it 
meant an indefinite stay in prison. It was the 
" left," and all doubts were removed — we were 
going home ! The sailors were brought out 
and followed in our rear. It was an interesting 
trip down the James River. We had a fine 
view of the rebel batteries. Three iron-clads 
were passed, and several pontoon bridges across 
the river had to be opened on our approach. 
The most interesting thing was the sunken ob- 
structions, with the secret channels. Consider- 
able skill was required to get the boat through 
them. The guns from Grant's and Lee's bat- 
teries could be plainly heard. Next in view 
were the rebel shells exploding high in air 
over Dutch Gap, Ben Butler's celebrated canal. 
Finally we espied some Yankee pickets, then 
came Aiken's Landing. The boat was fast- 
ened to the dock, and all went on shore and 
waited for the Commissioners of Exchanges 
to receive us. In a short time Major Mum- 
ford arrived. He was on horseback, and a 

317 



The Story of a Strange Career 

flag of truce was stuck in his boot-leg. His 
salutation was : 

"Boys, the ambulance will be here in a 
few minutes mth the Confederates. You can 
either ride or walk, but get over to our boat 
as soon as you can, as the exchange may yet 
fall through." 

As soon as the rebel prisoners came in 
sight we started off. Walking was good 
enough for us. What a contrast between the 
two parties ! The rebel officers were all dressed 
in new Confederate uniforms — probably fur- 
nished by rebel sympathizers in the North — and 
the sailors all had good clothing, and were 
healthy in appeai^ance. They also seemed 
happy about going home, even if they were 
bidding good-bye to coffee and tea. The least 
said about our party the better. We were 
only sorry that we had not time to catch a few 
pecks of vermin for the others to take back to 
the Confederate States of America. 

On the rebel boat there was a brass band, 
and, as a parting compliment, they regaled us 
with the old familiar^ tune, " Then you'll re- 

318 



Libby Prison 

member me." There was a large bend in tlie 
river below Aiken's Landing, and our boat was 
quite a distance around the bend. We walked 
about a mile and a half across the strip of land, 
many of the disabled sailors following us in 
ambulances. On the dock were a large number 
of trunks, with a sentry guarding them. We 
were told that it was the baggage belonging to 
the rebel officers. Quite a number of our party 
made a rush for the trunks, with the intention 
of dumping them into the river. The guard 
said, " Go ahead, boys, I won't stop you," but 
Major Mumford advised them not to do it, as it 
might cause serious trouble. Then all went on 
board our boat, the Martha Washington. Sev- 
eral barrels of steaming hot coffee were ready. 

"Boys, help yourselves. Crackers and 
cheese in the boxes ! " 

In a short time the Sanitary Commission 
boat came alongside. Clothing was furnished 
to all, and anything that could be done for the 
men was done cheerfully. Nothing was too 
good for the ex-prisoners. Surgeons were busy 
attending to the sick. 

319 



The Story of a Strange Career 

' Scurvy and bowel complaints were tlie most 
common trouble. The officers were assigned 
to tlie after cabin, and the men were all given 
comfortable beds. From Libby to the Martha 
Washington made a wonderful change in our 
spirits. No one, to see us then, would recog- 
nise us as the miserable set of beings of a few 
hours past. In the cabin we had a fine dinner 
set before us, and bottles of whisky galore. 

" Gentlemen, drink plenty of whisky while 
eating," were the orders from the surgeon. 

The captain apologized for the lack of some 
extras that had been intended for us. The 
rebels had been on the boat for nearly three 
weeks, luxuriating on our provisions while we 
were enjoying ourselves in Libby. Secretary 
of War Stanton and "Beast Butler" brought 
about the event, they being opposed to the 
exchange. In the afternoon we steamed down 
the river. I had an interview with Major 
Mumford, and told him briefly about Colonel 
Dent. 

" Yes, the colonel is a prisoner in the South. 
He is also Grant's brother-in-law." 

320 



Libby Prison 

" Well, I liave a packet of letters from him 
to General Grant. How can I deliver them 
to Mm ? " 

" Give them to me. Grant is now at City 
Point. The boat will stop there, and I will 
see that he gets them," he replied. 

I then handed him the package. He never 
asked me a single question in regard to Colonel 
Dent, and he did not give me a chance to ask 
him any questions. That ended the affair as 
far as I was concerned. 

We stopped at City Point for half an hour 
on our way to Fortress Monroe. During the 
trip I had conversations with many of the 
sailors. They had suffered terribly during 
their imprisonment. Insufficient food and ex- 
posure had caused much sickness. Some of 
them had slept on the bare ground for months 
without any shelter. Nearly all had the scurvy. 
That any of them had lives to be exchanged 
was a miracle. The soldiers were very exultant 
at the success of their ruse in getting through 
the lines, and well they might be, for to-day 
there are seventeen thousand graves of their 

321 



The Story of a Strange Career 

fellow - prisoners at Anderson ville. Quite a 
number of sick men were also on the boat, 
having been sent from different hospitals in 
the South. The rebs thought that was the 
easiest way to get rid of them. "We stopped 
at Fortress Monroe for a short time, and then 
proceeded to Annapolis, Md., and early next 
morning we were landed at the Naval Academy 
wharf. Sixteen men had died on that short 
trip from Aiken's Landing. 

The sailors were cared for by the proper 
officials, and the officers were given transporta- 
tion to Washington. Then I was a free man, 
after having been a prisoner of war for three 
hundred and eleven days. 



322 



CHAPTER XXYI 

A FREE MAN AGAIN 

I TOOK the first train for Washington, arriv- 
ing there late at night. Going to the Metro- 
politan Hotel, I registered myself as from 
Columbia, S. C. The clerk looked at me for a 
moment, and asked if I had any baggage. 

" Neither baggage nor money," I replied. 

He commenced laughing, and told a bell- 
boy to show me up to a room. I remained in 
Washington two days. My written report was 
made out ; then I reported in person to Gideon 
Welles, the Secretary of the Navy. He was a 
fine old gentleman, and expressed his joy at 
the exchange being made. I have already nar- 
rated the particulars regarding Captain Gregory 
and his reports. I was instructed to go home, 
report my arrival, give my address, and await 
orders. My next visit was to the Fourth Audi- 
23 323 



The Story of a Strange Career 

tor, for some of tlie back pay due me. In a 
short time I had some much-needed respectable 
clothing. As yet I had not fully recovered 
from the typhoid fever. My hair was dead, and 
rapidly falling out. A barber was consulted, and 
he discovered that a new crop had commenced 
to grow. So the old hair was cut off even with 
the new. Mrs. Hall's husband was then next 
in order. Upon inquiiy, I found that he was a 
cheap gambler, and not in town just then, so I 
left his letter with some of his friends. 

I arrived in New York on Sunday morning, 
and went to my wife's last address. She had 
changed quarters to another locality. On going 
there, I was informed that she was in a certain 
boarding-house in Brooklyn. At that place I 
was directed to another boarding-house. Fi- 
nally I found the young lady. Our child had 
died three months previously. During our con- 
versation I said : 

" Why, Annie, I only received two of your 
letters while I was in prison." 

" That is all I wrote to you," she very inno- 
cently replied. 

324 



A Free Man Again 

Before leaving Boston on tlie brig Perry, I 
had made an allotment of fifty dollars per 
month to her, which she received from a naval 
agent on the fii^st of each month. Well, that 
frugal little wife, to use a slang expression, was 
" dead broke," and in arrears for her board bill. 
I was happy to be back with her, so I had no 
fault to find. Theatres and pleasure trips were 
in order and my past miseries forgotten. In 
due time I received all my back pay. My 
clothing had been sent home from the Perry, 
and a sword and a few other articles were all I 
had to purchase for my new outfit. 

Orders were received for me to report to 
Commander John C. Hall, for duty on board 
the United States steamer Nereus, at the 
Brooklyn Navy Yard. The Nereus was a large 
screw steamer, with splendid accommodations 
for sailors and officers. The captain and execu- 
tive were regulars, the other officers were 
volunteers. The acting master was a navigat- 
ing officer. Four ensigns were watch officers. 
Our quarters consisted of a large ward-room, 
with state-rooms on each side. The latter were 

325 



The Story of a Strange Career 

fumished witli single berths, and sets of draw- 
ers underneatli, a combination dressing-case and 
desk, and a stationary wash-stand. Coloured or- 
dinary seamen were detailed as ward-room boys, 
one for each officer. Their duties were to take 
care of the state-rooms and wait on the table, 
for which service they received nine dollars per 
month extra, paid by the officers. The steward 
and cook were paid as petty officers by the 
Government. One hundred dollars were paid 
by each of the officers as initiation fee and mess 
fund on joining the vessel, and afterward a ^ro 
rata of the expense was charged to each. There 
was quite a contrast between the Nereus and 
the Perry. The ward-room officers consisted of 
one lieutenant, one master, four ensigns, pay- 
master, surgeon, and chief engineer. The mas- 
ter's mate and second and third engineers each 
had separate mess-rooms in the steerage. 

Seven of the officers were ex-prisoners of 
war. A few months afterward Captain Howell 
stated that we were the wildest lot he ever 
commanded ; it only took a short time for him 
to form his opinion, however. The vessel was 

326 



A Free Man Again 

ordered to tlie squadron at Cape Haitien, Hayti, 
West Indies. The Panama steamers had to 
be convoyed through the Mariguana Passage, 
thence between Cape Maisi, Cuba, and San 
Nicolas la Mole, Hayti, to Navassa Island. 
The rebel steamer Alabama had captured one 
of the Panama boats, securing eight hundred 
thousand dollars in gold bullion, and had bond- 
ed the steamer for the same amount, to be paid 
when the Confederacy gained its independence. 
Fort Fisher was to be attacked, and Captain 
Howell got permission to join the expedition 
with his vessel. All of us were pleased with 
the chance to pay up old scores with the rebels. 
The corn-meal was still rankling in our systems. 
Steam was gotten up, and, under charge of a 
pilot, we started for Sandy Hook. Before we 
got a hundred yards from the dock the trip 
very abruptly ended. The pilot ran too close 
to a large floating buoy, and the result was that 
one of the propeller blades caught the heavy 
chain by which the buoy was anchored. The 
engines were slowly reversed. It was of no 
use. That chain was there to stay, and we 

327 



The Story of a Strange Career 

were securely fastened by the stern. I shall 
never forget that December night. It was my 
watch on deck from twelve to four in the morn- 
ing. The thermometer was twenty-one degrees 
below zero, and I thought I would freeze to 
death. The men on deck I sent below out of 
the cold wind, but I had no place for shelter, 
as the deck was clear fore and aft. 

The next day a submarine diver examined 
the propeller blade. The chain was jammed in 
between the stem-post and the centre of the 
screw. A floating derrick was fastened to our 
stern, the buoy and anchor were hoisted on it, 
and our vessel was thus taken into the dry dock. 
It was quite a job to free the chain. That little 
mishap detained us one week. We made an- 
other start and got to Fortress Monroe. Taking 
a monitor in tow, we went to Fort Fisher. 
Nearly all the expedition had arrived, and 
the bombardment was .begun. That expedi- 
tion was probably the worst "fizzle" of the 
whole war. There were over sixty ships in 
the fleet, each carrying from four to forty-four 
guns, besides several monitors carrying fifteen- 

328 



A Free Man Again 

incli guns. Tlie total number of guns was 
about six hundred. The rebels considered 
Fort Fisher as being impregnable, and it was, 
beyond all doubt, a strong fort. It was built on 
a narrow strip of land between Cape Fear Kiver 
and the ocean. There was an embankment 
over a mile in length, twenty-five feet thick 
and twenty feet high. About two thirds of it 
faced the sea; the other third ran across the 
strip of land as protection from land attack. 
Still stronger than these were the traverses^ 
which prevented an enfilading fire. These 
were hills about forty feet in height, and broad 
and long in proportion, about twenty of them 
along the sea face of the fort. Inside of them 
were the bomb-proofs, large enough to shelter 
the whole garrison. In front of the works was 
a strong palisade. Between each of the trav- 
erses was mounted one or two large guns, 
none less than one-hundred-and-fifty pounders, 
all of the guns of English manufacture. One, 
in particular, was an enormous Armstrong 
gun, mounted on a rosewood carriage — a pres- 
ent from Sir William Annstrong, of England. 

329 



The Story of a Strange Career 

Fort Castle and Fort Anderson also protected 
the Cape Fear River. Tlie channel was filled 
with sunken torpedoes. Torpedoes were also 
buried in the sand in front of Fort Fisher. 
An immense mound, one hundred feet in 
height, was erected on tlie beach and a large 
gun mounted on the summit. 

Now for a description of the . whole affair 
in a plain and truthful manner. I have read 
many descriptions of the capture of Fort 
Fisher, and have seen pictures portraying it, 
but all were exaggerations. An old steamer, 
the Louisiana, was fitted up in imitation of a 
blockade-runner, and two hundred and fifteen 
tons of gunpowder were loaded in the hold. 
Fuses were connected with an exploding clock- 
work and the powder. It was supposed that 
such a quantity of powder exploding so near 
the fort would do great d image, besides kill- 
ing all of the garrison. The idea was sug- 
gested by Ben Butler. General Grant had 
given Butler orders to send General Weitzel 
with five thousand troops for the capture of 
the fort, and afterward to capture Wilmington, 

330 



A Free Man Again 

so that Sherman could receive supplies for his 
army. Butler ignored the orders, and took per- 
sonal command of the troops, leaving Weitzel 
at City Point. The squadron was at Fort 
Fisher on time. Butler with his troops had 
not arrived. Then began the trouble. Ad- 
miral Porter gave orders to explode the pow- 
der-boat, and all arrangements were quickly 
made. The squadron was to steam ten miles 
out at sea. All safety valves were to be 
opened, lest the concussion might cause the 
boilers to explode. Under cover of darkness 
the powder-boat was towed by the steamer 
Wilderness close to the fort. The clockwork 
was set, also a fire was laid in case the clock- 
work failed. The crew were taken off by the 
Wilderness. The clock arrangement proved a 
failure, but the fire, in time, caused an explo- 
sion. Not a particle of damage was done to 
the fort. We afterward learned that most of 
the Confederates were asleep, and some of them 
never heard the explosion. The next day But- 
ler arrived with his transports. He was terri- 
bly angry about the powder-boat affair. In the 

331 



The Story of a Strange Career 

meantime the fleet, by divisions, had formed a 
line of battle. The ironclads were close to the 
shore. Their fire was to be direct. The other 
ships were to fire at angles with the fort so as 
to make an enfilading fire as much as possible. 
The bombardment from so many guns was ter- 
rific. The Confederates were soon driven into 
the bomb-proofs. During the day nearly all 
their guns were dismounted. The next day 
was Christmas, 1864. Early in the morning 
the landing of the troops began. Every boat 
in the fleet was brought into requisition. A 
clear strip of land extended from the fort to 
the woods, about a mile in length. A spot 
near the centre of the clear space was selected 
as the best place for the troops to land. A 
heavy surf was running on the beach. Every 
time a boat-load was landed it was necessary 
for the crew to wade out into the surf with 
the boat, and, at the proper time, jump in and 
pull through the first breaker. If not quick 
enough, the boat would be keeled over and 
over, high up on the beach. Everything was 
progressing finely; no one doubted but that 

332 



A Free Man Again 

the fort would be captured before night. All 
the white troops were on shore. We were 
busily engaged in landing Butler's pet coloured 
troops. What was our astonishment on re- 
ceiving orders to re-embark the troops and 
bring off the negroes first, and then Ben But- 
ler's transports started immediately for Wash- 
ington, with that gallant hero on board ! A 
heavy gale of wind set in from the northeast 
and continued to increase in fury as the night 
approached ; consequently the surf was getting 
worse and it was very difficult for the boats to 
get clear of the beach. Those " niggers " would 
rush for every boat and overload it, with the 
result that it would be swamped. If ever 
"niggers" got a cursing, they certainly got it 
that night. About midnight my boat was 
swamped three times in succession. I was 
thoroughly disgusted. The crew and I were 
well tired out. We had had nothing to eat 
since morning, our clothing was soaking wet 
from constantly being in the surf, and the cold 
wind was chilling our bodies. The boat was 
lifted up sideways and the water dumped out. 

333 



The Story of a Strange Career 

Everything was made ready for a new start, 
but this time I lield my revolver in liand : 

" Now, tlie first nigger wlio attempts to get 
in my boat will be sbot ! " and I meant wliat I 
said. It was hard work for us to get through 
the surf, and I felt certain that no more troops 
could be taken off that night. It was very 
dark and cloudy. I steered for the lights 
which were on the Nereus. We had gone 
about half the distance when the boat sud- 
denly capsized and dumped all hands into the 
water. What caused that mishap I could 
never find out ; it has always been a puzzle 
to me. It was lucky that none of us was 
hurt. Our clothing was very heavy, and made 
it difficult for us to keep from sinking, espe- 
cially in such a rough sea. My sword and 
revolver made additional weight for me. We 
managed to hold on to the boat occasionally. 
In a few minutes we heard the splashing of 
oars in the water, and, by yelling, we attracted 
the attention of the boat's crew. They care- 
fully approached and pulled us out of the sea. 
The boat was one of the launches belonging 

334: 



A Free Man Again 

to the frigate Wabash. They took our boat 
in tow and rowed us to the Nereus. I was the 
only officer on our vessel who got back with 
his boat not damaged. The others were all 
badly disabled, and were left on the beach. 
About seven hundred of the soldiers were left 
on shore, and there they had to remain for 
three days. All night long the division to 
which the Nereus belonged fired shells into 
the woods to prevent Confederate troops from 
Wilmington making any attempt to capture 
our men. When the gale abated they were 
embarked. The first attack on Fort Fisher had 
ended in a grand fizzle, simply because Butler 
and Porter were at loggerheads. The army 
transports went back to City Point. The men- 
of-war weighed anchor and started for Beau- 
fort, S. C. The few guns that still remained 
mounted at Fort Fisher fired a parting salute, 
in derision at our departure. 



335 



CHAPTEK XXYII 

FOET riSHER 

On our arrival at Beaufort all was bustle 
and activity. Ammunition and coal were taken 
on board, the small boats repaired, and every- 
thing was made ready for another expedition. 
Porter was continually sending despatches to 
Washington. Butler was there in person. Be- 
tween them there was a lively war of words. 
The new expedition sailed for Fort Fisher. 
During our absence the enemy had repaired 
the fort, and the garrison had been increased 
from six hundred to a thousand men. General 
Terry arrived with his transports, having on 
board five thousand white troops. The fort 
was bombarded, and the garrison driven into 
the bomb-proofs. Several of our hundred- 
pounder rifled guns exploded, doing consider- 
able darqage, and that class of guns was not 

336 



Fort Fisher 

used any more during the action. On the 14th 
of January the troops were all landed. On 
the 15th two thousand sailors and marines 
were also landed, each vessel sending a detach- 
ment. The quota from the Nereus was fifty 
men, Ensign Dayton and myself being in com- 
mand. We received printed orders from Ad- 
miral Porter : 

" When you get in the fort, if the rebels re- 
fuse to surrender, four seamen must take each 
rebel and throw him over the ramparts." 

That is one extract. There was more in 
the same strain. The men had been notified in 
advance as to who had been detailed for the 
assaulting party, but not so the officers. When 
the men were ready to get into the boats, Day- 
ton and I were called from our gun divisions 
and received orders to take charge of them. 

Our preparations were hastily made; each 
of us took a ship's cutlass, revolver, and breech- 
loading carbine, and then filled our pockets 
with ammunition. The surgeon was on hand 
with a supply of tourniquets and bandages, 

337 



The Story of a Strange Career 

wMcli he jammed into our pockets while giving 
us brief lectures on the compression of arteries. 
In a short time the sailors were landed; the 
marines were detailed as sharp-shooters, each 
one having his knapsack as a portable breast- 
work. About one o'clock the army was ready 
for the assault in the rear end of the fort. The 
marines deployed to their position ; the sailors 
moved up the beach in double column, the 
ships firing over us. 

Some of the enemy came out of their bomb- 
proofs and kept continually firing into our col- 
umns. The beach was perfectly level, with no 
friendly trees or rocks to afford us any protec- 
tion. Our destination was the sea face of the 
fort. To get there it was necessary to march 
two thirds of a mile parallel with the fort, 
and within easy range — a few hundred yards. 
We would willingly have gone a little more to 
the left if the Atlantic Ocean had permitted. 
Before getting to our proper position, a signal 
from the flagship ordered us to lie down on the 
beach. The shot and shell were whistling over 
our heads at a terrible rate, and sometimes an 

338 



Fort Fisher 

over-zealous gunner would make a slight error 
and drop them among our men instead of into 
the fort. Some of the enemy also made it in- 
teresting fi^om their side of the fence. Quite 
a number was killed or wounded among our 
party. The water was splashed up in a lively 
way by the bullets. Strangely enough, every 
wounded sailor, if able, would crawl to the 
water and lie dovni, so that the surf, as it rolled 
up the beach, kept his body wet. It was low 
tide at the time, and, as we lay down on the 
wet sand, we soon became chilled through. 
Nearly two hours we remained in that position. 
A large gun just opposite me, inside the fort, 
still remained mounted. I noticed that the 
muzzle was elevated to aim at the fleet, but 
was gradually being depressed, so that it was in 
range with our men. The gunners could be 
seen putting in the powder and two stands of 
grape-shot. It was left in that position, and 
the gunners disappeared. One of our iron-clads 
was close inshore, just opposite the loaded 
gun. About every ten minutes they would fire 
a fifteen-inch, with a reduced charge of powder, 
33 339 



The Story of a Strange Career 

consequently we could see every shell as it 
passed over us. They all went about ^ve feet 
above the gun and exploded in the rear. Why 
they did not attempt to dismount it I cannot 
imagine. They certainly must have seen the 
enemy loading it. 

A projectile from a rifled gun in the fleet 
got to tumbling "end over end" in the air. 
It landed within six feet of me. The sand 
flew in every direction, nearly blinding some 
of the men. For a few seconds we all felt 
nervous. If it was a percussion fuse shell the 
danger was past ; if a time fuse, it would ex- 
plode, and the only means of safety was to lie 
flat on the ground. To attempt to run away 
would be very dangerous. For a few seconds 
we all remained quiet. No hissing sound could 
be heard, and then the missile was examined, 
and proved to be a solid shot ; but we were, for 
awhile, badly scared. 

The soldiers could be seen beginning the 
attack at the rear of the fort. Then came Ad- 
miral Porter's terrible blunder. The signal was 
given for the fleet to "cease firing," then for 

340 



Fort Fisher 

the sailors to advance. We had quite a dis- 
tance to go up the beach before making a "right 
face " and rushing into the fort. The Confeder- 
ates had anticipated that very movement on our 
part, and were prepared for it. They rushed 
out of the bomb-proofs, and gave our troops a 
murderous fire of musketry without our being 
able to return the fire. Then the big gun was 
discharged, and it made a terrible gap in our 
column. The detachment just ahead of ours 
was almost annihilated as they received the 
full charge of grape-shot. Some of the men 
were thrown several feet into the air. Each of 
the grape-shot weighed three pounds. There 
must have been nearly a hundred in the charge, 
as it was a double load from a hundred-and- 
fifty pounder. About two hundred men near 
the head of the column had reached some low 
sand-dunes which protected them, but the men 
following them became panic-stricken, and fell 
back upon those in their rear. The whole col- 
umn was thrown into disorder, and compelled 
to retreat, the enemy keeping up a heavy 
fire as we passed down the beach. As badly 

341 



The Story of a Strange Career 

whipped as the sailors were, they deserved 
great credit for one thing : not a wounded ship- 
mate was deserted ; all were carried off. The 
dead were all dragged np above high-water 
mark, so that the tide would not carry their 
bodies out to sea. Had we marched up to our 
proper position, under cover of fire from the 
fleet, and the attack then been made, results 
would have been different, but being killed 
outright, through lack of good judgment, would 
discourage almost anybody ! The plan of the 
attack was good. With the sailors assaulting 
the front and the soldiers the rear, the enemy 
would have been between two fires. Colonel 
Penny packer, with his regiment, was inside the 
fort, the other regiments on the outside of the 
traverses ; they were gradually driving the 
enemy back. Signals were made to the fleet 
where to throw their shells so as to avoid hit- 
ting our own troops. The sailors were reor- 
ganized, and manned the trenches across the 
open ground, to prevent re-enforcements to the 
Confederates coming from Wilmington. By 
that arrangement, a regiment armed with seven- 

342 



Fort Fisher 

shot repeating rifles was relieved and added to 
the assaulting party at the fort. 

Nio;ht came on and the fio-ht still continued. 
Signals by light were made to the fleet how 
to direct their fire. At one o'clock in the 
morning the battle was ended by the enemy 
surrendering. The last prop was knocked 
from under the Confederacy ; their great source 
of supplies was cut off. Blockade-running was 
ended. General Sherman would have a new 
base of supplies. Richmond would soon have 
to be evacuated. The day the fort was cap- 
tured, Ben Butler was in Washington, demon- 
strating to the authorities, theoretically, why 
Fort Fisher was impregnable. Captain Breeze 
and Lieutenants Cushing, Preston, and Porter, 
from the flagship Malvern, had command of 
the sailors. Preston and Porter were fellow- 
prisoners of mine at Columbia. Both were 
killed early in the attack, Preston by a shell 
from the fleet, and Porter by a bullet. 
Cushing, with all his bravery, was not the last 
officer of the retreat down the beach — not by 
long odds. It is now a matter of history that 

343 



The Story of a Strange Career 

Captain Breese with two hundred sailors actu- 
ally got inside the fort and remained there 
until nightfall. That is all bosh. The fact is, 
they were behind the sand-dunes when the 
panic occurred — it being much safer to remain 
there than to be running the gauntlet down to 
the sea. After dark they retreated in good 
order. If they had really got into the fort, 
I will guarantee that they would not have re- 
mained there very long. The sailor who got 
closest to the traverses was an ensign from the 
gunboat Sassacus, and he was killed. Ensign 
Dayton, my fellow-officer, had not been seen by 
me since we landed. "When I next saw him it 
was on board the Nereus. He said he had 
been with Captain Breese. He received some 
very plain talk fi^om me for not helping to look 
after our own men. There was enough to be 
attended to — the wounded to be sent to the 
vessel, the dead to be identified and buried, 
and, the most difficult Job, to corral the live 
ones and get them oif to the Nereus. They 
were scattered all over our newly acquired 
territory. It was not every day they could get 



Fort Fisher 

ashore, and they were certainly making good 
use of their opportunities. 

Early in the morning the dead sailors were 
laid side by side, forming a long row. Their 
caps, having the ship's name on in gilt letters, 
were placed on their breasts, and a slip of 
paper, giving his full name, was fastened to 
each man's shirt. It was a weird sight. All 
of them were fine-looking young men. I had 
placed the names on the men belonging to the 
Nereus, and went towards the fort, and as I 
got near the traverses I was nearly thrown 
off my feet by a sudden shaking of the ground ; 
then I saw an immense conical-shaped mass of 
earth and timbers thrown high into the air; 
then a large circle of dust descended and cov- 
ered everything in our vicinity. We all looked 
as if we had been pulled through a chimney. 
One of the magazines in the fort had blown 
up. The remnant of a Wisconsin regiment was 
stationed in the fort after its surrender, and the 
explosion killed nearly all. 

Quite a number of us assisted in getting 
the dead and wounded from the ruins. At 

345 



The Story of a Strange Career 

first it was supposed that a torpedo connected 
by wires witli Fort Anderson had caused the 
disaster, but it was afterward decided that it 
had been an accident. The Confederate pris- 
oners were then furnished with shovels, and 
forced to dig up a number of torpedoes that 
had been buried on the outside of the fortifica- 
tion. 

No wonder our troops had hard work to 
capture that place, for, by the peculiar construc- 
tion of the interior defences, it was easy to 
repel the attacking forces. Towards evening I 
succeeded in getting the survivors of our de- 
tachment on board the Nereus, and was very 
particular about having our quota of small- 
arms sent with them — carbines, revolvers, and 
cutlasses, fifty-two of each. No questions were 
asked about their being the same ones we took 
ashore with us. The gunner's report was "All 
arms returned," and nothing more was neces- 
sary. The fact that Dayton brought his extra 
equipments unknown to me was not com- 
mented on. 

My report, accounting for all the men, was 
346 



Fort Fisher 

given to tlie executive officer, and then I had 
something to eat. I went to bed, having had 
no sleep for thirty -six hours, but I had enough 
glory to last me for a long time. The next 
night the rebels blew up Forts Caswell and 
Anderson, and beat a hasty retreat for Wil- 
mington. General Terry soon after captured 
the latter place. The hospital transport came 
alongside the Nereus and took off our wounded 
men, and I have never seen or heard of one 
of them since. Our anchor was weighed and 
we returned to Beaufort for a supply of am- 
munition and coal, and as soon as possible 
started for the West Indies to join our 
squadron. 

About eight days after our departure from 
Beaufort we sighted Turks Island, and, going 
through the Mariguana Passage, we soon had a 
view of the high mountains of the Island of 
Haiti. The weather was fine and quite a con- 
trast to that of New York. The awnings were 
spread to protect us from the hot sun, and 
heavy clothing was discarded. 



347 



CHAPTEK XXYIII 

THE ISLAND OF HAITI 

Cape Haitien is a queer little town built 
on the shore of a bay at the foot of a very high 
mountain. When the French possessed the 
place it was called "La petite Paris," but an 
earthquake tumbled all the buildings, and gen- 
erally wrecked the whole place. A great many 
of the ruins still remain. Some of the stone 
was utilized for new habitations, but most of 
it was left where it had fallen. 

The negroes had no ambition to restore the 
place to its former grandeur, and only a few 
white men were to be found among its inhabi- 
tants. Mahogany, logwood, and coffee were 
the only exports, and those only in small quan- 
tities. We had arrived on a Sunday afternoon, 
and several of us went on shore to visit the 
American consul, as an act of courtesy, and 

348 



The Island of Haiti 

then strolled througli tlie town. Whisky was 
not allowed on board a man-of-war, and it was 
quite natural for us to want a drink on our 
arrival in a foreign country. Stopping at the 
only hotel, we ordered a " brandy smash," and 
it nearly paralyzed the whole crowd. The 
atmosphere was quite warm, and so was the 
brandy and water. There was no ice in the 
whole town, and of all the mixed drinks I 
ever had that was the worst. We had re- 
ceived some gold money from the paymaster, 
and a five-dollar piece was given in payment for 
the aforesaid drinks. Well, the change that 
was returned almost finished what the " smash " 
had not quite done, for about sixty-four one- 
dollar bills were counted out, each printed on 
bright yellow paper, about ^ve by seven inches 
in size. " Une Gourde " — meaning " one dollar " 
— was printed in large and small letters all 
over the face of the note, and then, in French, 
something about its redemption at a certain 
period. 

The landlord was a Frenchman and had 
learned to speak English while on board an 

349 



The Story of a Strange Career 

American whaling vessel. He gave us consid- 
erable information about the town, and also 
advised us to have our gold exchanged for his 
Plaitien currency, so we each got ^ve dollars' 
worth from him. The ^^ gourdes" were at a 
discount of ninety-three per cent, making each 
one worth seven cents in gold. Such a roll of 
bills as we received ! The bundles had to be 
put in our coat-tail pockets, no other place being 
large enough to hold them. The only amuse- 
ment in town that would take place that night 
was a masquerade ball. Each of our drinks 
came to one "gourde," rather cheap for 
brandy. We bade our host adieu until even- 
ing and returned to the Nereus. Lieutenant 
Mullen, the surgeon, paymaster, three ensigns, 
and three engineers made up a party to " take 
in" the masquerade. 

Special permit was required to be absent 
after sundown, as we were under war regu- 
lations. No time was lost in getting to the 
hotel. The landlord piloted us to the ball- 
room. Two " gourdes " were charged each for 
admission. A large store with a brick floor 

350 



The Island of Haiti 

was the extemporized ballroom. In one corner, 
on a platform, was tlie orchestra, and four 
" niggers " with clarionets composed it. In an- 
other end of the room was the office, with a 
window opening into the store-room, that place 
being transformed into a temporary barroom, 
the window-sill being the bar over which the 
drinks were served. Lieutenant Mullen be- 
longed in Baltimore, Md., and he had no use 
for " niggers " under any circumstances, but he 
did like liquor, and it seemed to have very 
little effect on him. When the music struck 
up we all chose partners, with the exception 
of Mullen, that gentleman selecting one side 
of the window-sill and keeping it all night. 
My partner was neatly dressed and genteel in 
appearance, and, as she was closely masked, I 
could not tell whether she was pretty or not. 
She wore white kid gloves, and, as part of her 
wrists was exposed, I could see by the smooth 
skin that she was young, and probably a quad- 
roon. That girl had the advantage of me, as I 
had no mask, and she knew with whom she 
was dancing while I did not. However, both 

351 



The Story of a Strange Career 

of us seemed satisfied, for we were partners in 
every waltz. 

About two in the morning we had to leave 
our coloured partners, for the boat was to be at 
the landing for us at that hour. In the streets 
there were no lamps. A light, drizzling rain 
made the darkness more intense. Our most 
direct route was by a street facing the beach. 
A number of warehouses had large quantities 
of logwood piled in front, and the pieces were 
very crooked and lying in all positions. The 
doctor and I were walking together. His vision 
was concentrated on the logwood, and finally 
he expressed himself : 

" Say, Thompson, did you ever see so many 
anchors piled up in a street before ? " 

Of course Cape Haitien had a military dock 
for the men-of-war boats to land at. On the 
shore end was a small guard-house, and as we 
passed it I noticed a light through the open 
doorway. Looking inside, I saw several Hai- 
tien soldiers sleeping soundly. In one comer 
of the shanty was a most primitive lamp — a 
glass tumbler partly filled with water, and a 

352 



The Island of Haiti 

small quantity of oil on the top of it with a 
lighted wax taper floating in it. Here was an 
opportunity to make myself a benefactor to my 
fellow-officers. Without any hesitation I stole 
the lamp. 

"Hello, gentlemen, allow me to carry a 
light down the wharf for you ! " 

Just then an engineer named Patterson 
gave my hand a knock, and away went the 
whole illuminating apparatus. My eyes were 
blinded by the sudden change from light to 
darkness. I walked about three steps, and off 
the dock I went head first into the water. The 
unexpected immersion improved my eyesight 
wonderfully, and when I got back on the dock 
I could walk without a light. Patterson 
thought the whole affair a huge joke. When 
we reached the Nereus it came my turn to 
laugh. Naval etiquette requires officers to go 
up the companion-ladder according to rank — 
the seniors first. Mr. Patterson, being lowest 
in grade, was to go up last, and by some means 
he lost balance and fell out of the boat ; when 
he came to the surface of the water, some of 

353 



The Story of a Strange Career 

the sailors pulled him into the boat. He was 
not at all fanny when he reached the deck. 

Grasping his hand, I said, "Shipmate, I 
feel sorry for you." 

That was our only night on shore. Captain 
Howell was of the opinion that we could have 
pleasure enough during the daylight in the fu- 
ture. Hardly a day passed that some of us 
was not raising " Old Ned." After supper we 
would sit in the ward-room and relate our ad- 
ventures, and some of them were comical. By 
no means could we get into high society in that 
town. We were politely referred to as persons 
of unfortunate colour. That was the only 
country I ever visited where a white man, if he 
behaved himself, was not as good as a " nigger." 
The east half of the island is the Eepublic of 
Haiti, formerly belonging to France, and the 
language spoken is French. 

The western part is the Republic of San 
Domingo, formerly belonging to Spain, and the 
language spoken is Spanish. The whole island 
had, at one time, been very prosperous, but the 
slaves had formed a conspiracy, and in one night 

354 



The Island of Haiti 

had massacred all the whites and gained their in- 
dependence, France and Spain never being able 
to reconquer them. The negroes became quite 
indolent. Very little clothing is needed in that 
warm climate, and fruit, growing with little 
cultivation, provides them with food. Kevolu- 
tions are of frequent occurrence. On the 1st, 
11th, and 21st of each month two of our ships 
would sail from Cape Haitien to meet the Cali- 
fornia mail steamers, one going north to Turks 
Island, the other south to ISTavassa Island. Our 
first trip was to the latter place. The island 
was about three miles in circumference and al- 
most inaccessible. . It was the breeding-place 
of sea-birds. A company belonging to Balti- 
more, Md., had possession, and were shipping 
the guano to different parts of Europe. We 
arrived some hours before the mail steamer 
was due. 

A hedge anchor was fastened to a heavy 
rope and dropped overboard, fish -lines were 
brought into service, and the sport began. 
The only question with us was. What kind of 
fish will the next be ? Such a variety I never 
24 355 



The Story of a Strange Career 

saw in my life in any part of tlie world — all 
different sorts, si;§es, and shapes were landed on 
deck. The steamer came in sight and our 
anchor was pulled up. When the steamer 
came close by, a boat was sent to her with mail 
from our fleet, two cakes of ice were presented 
to us, and the vessel started for the passage. 
Before the mail steamer, being much the faster 
boat, was out of sight, it being of no use to 
convoy a vessel we could not see, we did the 
next best thing — returned to Cape Haitien. 
The steamer at Turks Island adopted the same 
tactics, with the exception of receiving the mail 
instead of sending it. 

The Neptune, Galatea, Proteus, and Nereus 
certainly had an easy time on convoy duty. 



356 



CHAPTEE XXIX 

I LEAVE THE SEA AJS^D GO WEST 

About tlie 1st of April I sent in my resig- 
nation. I had become tired of sailor life, the 
war was nearly ended, and the fact that I was 
married made me desirous to make a living on 
dry land. It was a foolish whim of mine to 
throw away such a good opportunity, especially 
after having advanced so far in my chosen pro- 
fession. A fresh supply of naval stores was 
needed on the Nereus, and for that reason we 
were ordered to Key West, then to return to 
Cape Haitien. We went first to Navassa and 
met the mail steamer, and the letter containius: 
my resignation went in that mail pouch. We 
then steered for Cape Mayzi, at the eastern 
end of Cuba, and, going around the cape, we 
sailed west along the coast. Morro Castle was 
sighted, and we entered the harbour of Havana. 

357 



The Story of a Strange Career 

I was well acquainted with the city, but every- 
thing appeared different to me then. The 
United States naval uniform allowed me to 
visit places where formerly, in common sea- 
man's garb, I should have been denied. 

The lottery-ticket venders were as busy as 
of yore, but, somehow, I did not feel like pat- 
ronizing them. I drew the shares of only one 
prize in my life, but plenty of blanks. A draw- 
ing took place while I was in the city, and a 
number of us went to see it. The drawing was 
in a building like a theatre. Prizes ranging 
from two hundred and fifty thousand dollars 
down to one hundred dollars were in the wheel. 
The numbers of the tickets were in another. 
A remarkable audience was in the seats ; rich 
and poor, black and white, and of all nationali- 
ties. Great excitement prevailed until the 
numbers of all the great prizes were called out. 
Then the crowd began to leave. Such low 
prizes as twenty thousand and ten thousand 
dollars interested no one. 

We remained one week in Havana and then 
sailed for Key West, eighty miles distant ; we 

358 



I Leave the Sea and Go West 

were only a few hours at sea, and then our 
anchor was dropped in Key West harbour. 
That place had changed wonderfully since my 
last visit. From an indolent little fishing village 
and the home of the " wreckers " it had become 
a lively little town. The army and navy were 
well represented, and there was hustle and 
hurry everywhere. Wine and beer were the 
only liquors allowed on the island, and the 
beer cost fifty cents a bottle, so there must 
have been quite a profit for somebody. Our 
stores had been placed on board, then the 
coal was received, and when the bunkers were 
nearly filled it was discovered that some of the 
lower deck beams were getting out of place. 
An order was given to have the Nereus exam- 
ined, and a report was given of her condition. 
The news of the surrender of Lee was received, 
and quite a celebration of the event took place. 
Next came the news of the assassination of 
President Lincoln. 

The Nereus was condemned as "unfit for 
service," and orders were given for us to return 
to New York. About the 10th of May the 

369 



The Story of a Strange Career 

Nereus arrived at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, 
and lier career as a man-of-war was ended. 
The paymaster received notice from the Fourth 
Auditor at Washington that my resignation 
had been accepted on the 17th day of April, 
and he said that he would have my account 
made out at once. I informed the gentleman 
that he would do no such thing, and that when 
I should receive notice through Captain Howell 
that my resignation had been accepted I should 
be released from service, and not before then. 
Captain Howell decided that I was right. The 
acceptance had been sent to Cape Haitien, 
and I was in New York. The Nereus was put 
out of commission and the crew discharged. 
All the officers, except myself, were "detached" 
and granted two months' leave of absence. I 
was placed on waiting orders. The Neptune, 
Proteus, and Galatea had also arrived from 
Cape Haitien. My discharge should have been 
on one of those vessels, but no one knew any- 
thing about the missing document. 

Our vessel had left Cape Haitien just in 
time to miss exciting scenes. A revolution had 

360 



I Leave the Sea and Go West 

taken place, and it was the city against the 
whole republic. The English gunboat got 
mixed up in the melee and bombarded the city. 
The women took refuge on the men-of-war 
during the bombardment. The man-of-war Bull- 
dog ran on a reef in the harbour and became 
a wreck. The English Government dismissed 
the captain for acting without authority, and 
the sailing-master met the same fate for losing 
the vessel. After waiting a reasonable time, I 
wrote to the Secretary of the Navy as to how 
I was situated, but received no reply. Captain 
Howell was in Washington, so I sent him a 
letter about my circumstances. He attended 
to the case personally, and in a few days I re- 
ceived a copy of the acceptance of my resigna- 
tion on April 17, 1865. The copy was dated 
June 14th, and I received my pay to that date. 
I then got a position as watchman in the Brook- 
lyn Navy Yard at sixty dollars a month. 
Renting a suite of rooms, I furnished them 
nicely and settled down to life on shore with 
my wife. A child was soon born to comfort 
our household. 

361 



The Story of a Strange Career 

I was finally, at my own request, transferred 
to the harbour patrol boat. There were nine 
of us, divided into three crews, twelve hours 
on duty and twenty-four hours off. River 
pirates and deserters were our special game. 

The war was ended, and that stopped deser- 
tion. The purchased gunboats were sold at 
auction, and then there was nothing left for the 
river pirates to plunder. Alas ! our services 
were no longer needed, and we were all dis- 
charged. Next I got a situation in the navy 
yard machine-shops, for I was ambitious to be- 
come a first-class machinist. Busy times were 
over, and men returning from the war over- 
stocked the labour market. A great reduction 
was ordered in all the navy yard machine-shops, 
and, of course I, being a late arrival, had to be 
discharged with the first lot. Gradually what 
money I had saved up was used for necessary 
living expenses. Rent and provisions were 
still at war prices, consequently I soon found 
myself dead broke, and with no prospects of 
obtaining employment. 

I came to the conclusion that there was no 
362 



I Leave the Sea and Go West 

hope of obtaining employment in New York. 
Selling part of my furniture, I raised a few dol- 
lars ; then taking Horace Greeley's advice — 
" Go West, young man, go West ! " — I left New 
York, and have been away just thirty-two years 
—1898. 

The manuscript breaks off abruptly at the 
time when Thompson moved West. Almost 
from that change began his criminal career. It 
is known that he served two terms in the peni- 
tentiary at Joliet, 111., the last one being for a 
period of twelve years. Both sentences were 
for burglary. In his manuscript he refers to 
an experience in the prison at Jefferson City, 
Mo., and it is also known that he died in prison 
in another State. 

In the last writing of Thompson, he solemn- 
ly affirmed his belief in a "just and merciful 
God." To that divine justice and mercy let 
us, having learned our own lesson from his 
life, leave him, judging not, lest we be judged. 



THE END 



BOOKS BY FRANK T. BULLER 



Deep-Sea Plunderings. 

Illustrated. i2mo. Cloth, $1.50. 

Mr, BuUen, who has proved himself a past master of deep-water litera- 
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Being Recollections of the First Four Years of my Sea 
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D. APPLETON AND COMPANY, NEW YORK. 



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The Quiberon Touch. 

A Romance of the Sea. With frontispiece. i2mo. Cloth, 
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D. APPLETON AND COMPANY, NEW YORK. 



By EDGAR STANTON MACLAY, A. IVL 



A History of the United States Navy. (1775 
to 1902.) — New and revised edition. 

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In the new edition of Vol. Ill, which is now ready for pubUcation, the author brings 
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have been sedulously applied to the preparation of this new edition of the third volume. 

A History of American Privateers. 

Uniform with " A History of the United States Navy." One volume. 
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After several years of research the distinguished historian of American sea power 
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The Private Journal of William Maclay, 

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During his two years in the Senate William Maclay kept a journal of his own in 
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D. APPLETON AND COMPANY, NEW YORK. 



A PICTURESQUE BOOK OF THE SEA. 

A Sailor*s Log. 

Recollections of Forty Tears of Naval Life, By Rear- 
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D. APPLETON AND COMPANY, NEW YORK. 



THE STORY OF THE WEST SERIES* 
The Story of the Soldier. 

By General G. A. Forsyth, U.S.A. (retired). Illustrated by 
R. F. Zogbaum. A new volume in the Story of the West Series, 

edited by Ripley Hitchcock. i zmo. Cloth, ^1.50. 

In the great task of opening the empire west of the Missouri 
the American regular soldier has played a part large and heroic, 
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warriors, and finally won their Uves by sheer dogged pluck and 
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Herald. 

"General Forsyth's identity with the army extends over a notable period 
in its history, and he is among the few officers who remain who are able to 
write of their personal knowledge of the thrilling experiences of our soldiers on 
the plains." — Washington Army and Navy Register. 

•*The soldierly qualities of the author appear on every page of the volume 
in a precision of statement, a generosity of praise, and an urbanity of temper. 
The narrative is commended to the interest and attention of every student of 
our national life and development." — Philadelphia Ledger. 

"There is not a dull page in the book." — Buffalo Commercial. 

**The story presents a fresh and thrilling chapter of American history." — 
Cleveland World. 

D. APPLETON AND COMPANY, NEW YORK. 



AUG 3 1902 



AUG 30 1902 



1C0P> DEL '0 i-/^' 
AUG. 30 1902 






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